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* If this works as advertised, then what’s the problem?…
Gov. Bruce Rauner wants to replace guards in watchtowers with closed-circuit cameras at nearly two dozen lower-security Illinois prisons, an effort to cut expenses for a cash-strapped state that has gone two years without a budget.
The administration is projecting $4 million in annual savings through reduced overtime-pay and “more efficient management strategies,” Rauner spokeswoman Eleni Demertzis told The Associated Press.
No security guards will be laid off, Corrections department spokeswoman Nicole Wilson said.
Such a proposal has encountered mixed results in other states. Michigan and Pennsylvania prison officials said they abandoned round-the-clock tower staffing in the past decade without layoffs. But Wisconsin eliminated 60 positions in 2015 when overnight staffing was limited to one tower at some prisons.
The Republican governor’s office didn’t provide specifics on the change, which would affect the state’s 23 minimum- and medium-security facilities. The four maximum-security prisons would retain full tower staffing.
The union is opposed for safety reasons, but if it’s been done elsewhere without problems, then I don’t know why IDOC shouldn’t try it here.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 1:57 pm
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Previous Post: Rauner gives mostly reasonable response, blasted as “chicken”
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One officer watching 32 cameras at once, what could go wrong? Ask Louisiana.
Comment by Toadies' wild ride Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 2:02 pm
Like anything else IDOC does, it will pay a lot up front but not maintain it. I work in buildings that were built with state of the art camera systems that are now worthless because there is no money to repair them.
Comment by Toadies' wild ride Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 2:06 pm
Someone is lying here.
Wisconsin laid off staff after they installed cameras. If that worked, fine.
Just tell the truth, Team Rauner. This cost savings measure will require layoffs or attrition at least. Of a lot of people.
Or you can’t achieve the claimed savings.
Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 2:15 pm
===Or you can’t achieve the claimed savings===
Meh. Considering the huge amount of OT expenses, I’m pretty sure they can create some savings.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 2:16 pm
As you’ve taught me Rich, just ask them to “show their work.” They won’t.
It would take substantial layoffs to achieve $4M+ in savings on OT from Cameras alone.
Show your work, IDOC.
Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 2:18 pm
$4 million from “More efficient management strategies” is a miniature version of
$4.6 billion in savings from “working together on a grand bargain”
Common thread? Lying.
Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 2:21 pm
“…elsewhere w/o problems…l
Except that one time in Michigan.
Comment by New Slang Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 2:25 pm
What we really need is a RoboGov that can be programmed to do its job without all the hostages, excuses and non-negotiable demands.
Comment by Reality Check Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 2:33 pm
Rauner will take the money saved and spend it on ghost employees in the executive department…
Comment by downstate commissioner Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 2:42 pm
$ 4 million in savings… yea that’ll do a lot for the budget deficit
Comment by Boone's is back Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 2:44 pm
We could lay Munger and the 29 other workers who were not needed?
Comment by Valvino Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 2:53 pm
I imagine the cameras won’t sneak in any contraband. /s
Comment by A guy Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 3:00 pm
Cameras should be used to supplement, not replace human guards. A camera usually will show what happened after the escape. A guard with a telescopic sight rifle is more of a deterrent for anyone thinking of breaking out.
Comment by DuPage Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 3:03 pm
The Problem with this? Really?
Cameras will not:
Intervene when there is an attempted escape.
They don’t recognize odd behavior.
They are limited in their view.
See the people throwing items over the fences to inmates.
They can be disabled and will malfunction.
I could go on and on…
The truth is that not ALL towers are manned anyway. Over the years Management has already made cuts in this area.
Lastly… and you heard it here first. This will save “nothing”.
Comment by OpenYourEyes Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 3:37 pm
If you really want “true” savings in DOC then here it is.
Stop transporting inmates all over the state on a daily basis for court writs. Use video conferencing like lots of other counties and states already use. This will save an outrageous amount of money. Every single court writ requires a minimum of 2 staff, a vehicle, fuel, and food.
Comment by OpenYourEyes Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 3:41 pm
“Not a Security Guard,
More like a Security Monitor”!
/s Couldn’t resist!
Comment by WhoKnew Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 3:51 pm
What happens when the power goes out? The cost of the cameras just doubled because they need a battery backup system.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 3:54 pm
camera are not in a union.
Comment by Oneman Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 4:01 pm
I did 3 years in at Taylorville CC for a white collar financial crime. AFSCME should poll its members. They hated working in the towers, with good reason. Its mindnumbingly boring. Guards get their assignments for 3 month periods. That means that guards in the towers are stuck alone, in a small space for long periods of time with nothing to do other than look out over the vast stretches of cornfield. The difference between them and us (other than pay) was that our small space came with a TV. It’s no wonder that many of the guards believed that tower duty was assigned as a retaliatory measure. As for the efficacy of the use of cameras, most portions of prisons have been monitored remotely for years, without a problem.
Comment by Ex Con Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 5:02 pm
The term medium security in DOC is very deceptive. The department has made a large push to put offenders with a whole lot of time remaining in these medium security facilities. The DOC is going just as everyone predicted back in the mid 1990s. After the Speck tapes, things were cleaned up, and all the veteran staff warned us in 20 years ago the politicians would give the prisons back to the offenders. This is just another piece to that puzzle.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 6:29 pm
Open Your Eyes at 3:41 should receive the Gold State Employee Savimgs Award.
The creator of this tower/cam deal should be watching tollway cameras for nickel cheaters.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 9:10 pm
=== - Boone’s is back - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 2:44 pm:
$ 4 million in savings… yea that’ll do a lot for the budget deficit ===
Before you scoff, that’s 20 bridge replacements in rural Illinois.
Comment by Cadillac Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 9:10 pm
=== - Anon - Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 3:54 pm:
What happens when the power goes out? ===
Yeah, I bet they’ve never thought about that! /s
Comment by Cadillac Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 9:24 pm
Currently, we are shipping 40 short time offenders per week, only to have them replaced with guys from Menard, whose status miraculously changed from max to medium the day they got on the bus. Does that make them a medium security offender…because they took a bus ride?? If they were still at Menard, they’d have a tower officer, but now-since they’re no longer a risk…a camera will do? Maybe the gov. would like to walk from housing unit 4 to health care, at 3am. with two offenders who were just fighting, and no tower officer?
I doubt it.
Comment by Property of IDOC Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 10:03 pm
Why don’t we just save move by doing away with our politicians that aren’t doing there jobs either.
Comment by Dumb Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 10:37 pm
Get rid of schools/colleges and just Google it.
Comment by GOP Extremist Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 12:00 am
Is Nonplussed advising the administration?
https://capitolfax.com/wp-mobile.php?p=20796&more=1
Comment by Anyone Remember Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 8:47 am