DEMOLISH AND REBUILD TO ILLINOIS PRISONS ARE GENERATING PUSHED BACK BACK IN MARCH.

GOVERNOR JB PRITZKER ANNOUNCED PLANS TO CLOSE STATE BILL CORRECTIONAL CENTER IN CREST HILL AND LOGAN CORRECTIONAL CENTER IN LOGAN COUNTY AND REBUILD THEM BOTH BUT NOT ENOUGH.

STATE LAWMAKERS SHOWED UP FRIDAY FOR A PLANNED VOTE BY THE BIPARTISAN ADVISORY PANEL CALLED THE COMMISSION ON GOVERNMENT FORECASTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

JOINING US NOW HERE WITH MORE ARE CALL IT PAIN.

DIRECTOR OF THE RECLAMATION PROJECT AT THE WOMEN'S JUSTICE INSTITUTE.

PAYNE SPENT 2 YEARS INCARCERATED AT LOGAN CORRECTIONAL CENTER IN THE LATE 90'S, ANDERS LINDELL, PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR ABSENTEE COUNCIL.

31, WHICH REPRESENTS ROUGHLY 10,000 EMPLOYEES WHO WORK IN ILLINOIS PRISONS.

AND JOINING US VIA ZOOM, REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE C D DAVID SMYER CO-CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION ON GOVERNMENT FORECASTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

ALSO DOES THE BIPARTISAN GROUP OF 12 STATE LEGISLATORS TASKED WITH ADVISING OVER THE PLANNED PRISON CLOSURES AND WE SHOULD MENTION WE DID INVITE THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS DISCUSSION, BUT THEY DECLINED.

WE THINK THE 3 OF YOU FOR JOINING US CALL.

IT STARTED WITH YOU.

YOUR WORK, THE WORK THAT YOU DO WITH THE RECLAMATION PROJECT.

IN WINS JUSTICE INSTITUTE.

YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH WOMEN WHO'VE BEEN INCARCERATED HAVE BEEN ARE INCARCERATED AND LOGAN CORRECTIONAL CENTER DESCRIBED THE CONDITIONS THERE.

ABSOLUTELY.

WE HAVE A BUS SERVICE REUNIFICATION, RIGHT?

WE TAKE FAMILIES TO SEE THERE IN CARSON READY LOVED MONTHLY.

CAN WOMEN TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE LIVING CONDITIONS, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO WALK IN YOUR OWN WASTE.

SO THE BAG UP FROM THE SEWAGE SYSTEM, THE MOLD.

ANIMALS FALLING FROM THE ANIMALS HAVEN'T BEEN ON THE ROOF.

HAVEN'T REPORTS ABOUT A RACCOON ON THE ROOF AND THAT FELL AND SALUTE AND THIS ISN'T TO SO IT WAS IN 2016, NATALIE.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST WOMAN FORMER INCARCERATED WOMAN TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE?

WELL, I WAS PART OF THE GIPPER ASSESSMENT GENDRON PRACTICE ASSESSMENT WHERE PART OF A TEAM WHERE WE WENT AND SPENT 4 DAYS GATHERING INFORMATION AND A REPORT WAS GENERATED INFORMATION AS TO HOW WOMEN ARE TREATED THE CONDITIONS INSIDE, TALKING WITH WHAT A SUPPORTS LOOK LIKE FOR THEM.

CAUSE IT SUPPORTS ON BOTH SO AFTER GATHERING THE INFORMATION, THE WOMENS CORRECTIONAL SERVICE ACT WAS MAKING SURE THAT PROGRAMMING HIS GENDER RESPONSE OF TRAUMA INFORMED.

JULIANA STRATTON SPEARHEADED WHEN SHE WAS A STATE LEGISLATOR.

AT THAT STILL SPEND SOME OF HER AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ON RE-ENTRY ISSUES WANT TO GET YOU IN HERE A LITTLE BIT.

WHAT WHAT ARE YOUR MEMBERS SAY ABOUT THE CONDITIONS BECAUSE THESE CONDITIONS ARE THERE WORKING CONDITIONS?

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT THESE 2 PERSONS?

ABSOLUTELY.

THE THERE THROUGHOUT THE THERE IS A HUGE BACKLOG OF NEGLECTED LONG NEGLECTED NEED FOR IMPROVEMENTS AND REPAIRS.

STATESVILLE AND LOGAN ARE BADLY OFF.

WE SUPPORT REBUILDING THOSE FACILITIES.

WHAT POSE IS THE UNNECESSARY AND UNNECESSARILY DISRUPTIVE.

LONG TERM TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF STATE BILL THAT WOULD CLOSE THE FACILITY FOR 3 TO 5 YEARS AND THE CLOSURE AND RELOCATION OF LOGAN TO NEARLY 200 MILES AWAY.

WE THINK THAT WOULD BE DISRUPTIVE FOR THE INDIVIDUALS IN CUSTODY FOR THEIR FAMILIES, FOR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND FOR OUR CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM AS A WHOLE RIGHT.

AND AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE'S A PROPOSAL WOULD RELOCATE TO NEXT-DOOR STATE BILL, BASICALLY, WHICH IS WHICH IS NEAR JOLIET.

I WANT TO COME BACK TO THE 2 OF YOU, OF COURSE, BUT STATE REPRESENTS STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAVID YOU WERE QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE CURRENT PROPOSALS ARE QUOTE, FAR FROM SHOVEL READY IN A STATEMENT JUST TO BE CLEAR, ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS SAYS THAT ITS GOAL, QUOTE, IN ANNOUNCING ITS INTENT TO REBUILD STATE BILL AND LOGAN CORRECTIONAL CENTER'S WAS TO PRESENT A STARTING POINT AND CREATE AN OPEN PROCESS IN WHICH FEEDBACK FROM ALL IMPACTED STAKEHOLDERS IS CONSIDERED NOT TO PRESENT A COMPLETE PLAN WITHOUT DISCUSSING IT WITH ALL INVOLVED.

REPRESENTATIVE.

WHERE ARE THE PLANS MOST DEFICIENT?

WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED TO SEE?

I WOULD SAY THE DEPARTMENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION CAME FORWARD WITH AN IDEA MORE SO THAN A THEY SAID THEY DON'T.

THEY HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG THEY'LL DO KEEP LOGANO THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT CLOSING STATE BILL AS OF SEPTEMBER.

LOOK, REALITY IS BOTH FACILITIES NEED TO BE REBUILT.

A STATE BILLS SHOULD BE A MAJOR PRIORITY.

THE THE ISSUES UP SHOULD BE A PRIORITY.

BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'VE GOT TO TRAIN STAFF IN BOTH STATE BILL AND LOGAN CORRECTIONAL FACILITY WHO WHO ARE TRAINED FOR THAT SPECIFIC POPULATION.

I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LEAN ON THAT, MAKE SURE THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE A SAY AND HAVE A A PART IN THE FUTURE OF OF THOSE INSTITUTIONS.

CALL IT.

WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS TO PLANS TO DEMOLISH AND REBUILD THE PRISONS?

LOGAN IN MOST DEFINITELY OF A PROPONENT OF THE CLOSURE I'M NOT FOR BUILDING MORE PRISONS.

HELP EVER.

I THINK THAT WOMEN SHOULD BE CLOSER.

I'M HERE SINCE MOST OF THEM COME FROM THE METRO CHICAGO LAND AREA WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TO BEING CLOSER TO CHICAGO?

THINK THE BENEFIT OF IT IS IS IS MORE PROGRAMMING WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS THAT DON'T EVEN GO DOWN BECAUSE OF THE DISTANCE IS 172 HOURS AWAY TAKES ABOUT 3 HOURS OF 3 AND A HALF DEPENDING TRAFFIC THE HEALTHCARE YOU HAVE LIKE THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.

THERE IS NOT GOOD AT ALL.

I KNOW FROM MY TRYING TO GET INTO THE DENTIST LIKE IF THEY HEALTH CARE.

SO BEFORE I GET IT AND I THINK IN CLOSER TO THE CHICAGO LAND AREA WILL HAVE ACCESS ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE.

IF I COULD JUST GENTLY CLAIM ABOUT AT LOGAN, ACTUALLY 60% OF THE POPULATION OF THE WOMEN CURRENTLY LOGAN ARNOTT FROM COOK OR THE 7 COUNTY, COLORADO AREA.

SO THE LARGE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION IS ACTUALLY FROM CENTRAL SOUTHERN ILLINOIS OUTSIDE OF THE COOK AND COLLAR AREA.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT TO HAVE INDIVIDUALS IN CUSTODY.

WOMEN AND MEN CLOSE TO THEIR FAMILIES.

ALL OF THE DATA AND THE SCIENCE HAS SHOWN CLOSE TO THEIR SUPPORTS GETTING GOOD PROGRAMMING GETTING GOOD HEALTH CARE, GETTING GOOD EDUCATION, SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT.

MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT AND PROGRAMS EXIST AT THESE FACILITIES.

AND AS THE REPRESENTATIVE POINTED OUT, WE'VE GOT GREAT SKILLED, EXPERIENCED AND COMMITTED STAFF CLOSING THEIR FACILITY.

LET'S IS GOING NEEDLESSLY DISRUPT.

LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT YOU.

WE'VE MENTIONED SORT OF THE POPULATION WHERE SOME OF THEM COME FROM BECAUSE THE STATE'S PRISON POPULATIONS.

WE ALL KNOW THAT THEY'RE CERTAINLY LOWER THAN THEY WERE 10 TO 15 YEARS AGO CURRENTLY OUT AT LOGAN CORRECTIONAL CENTER.

IT OPENED BY THE STATE AS A STATE PRISON IN JANUARY 1978.

BUT THAT BUILDING WAS BUILT LONG BEFORE THAT.

I THINK IN THE LATE 18, 100'S ON ITS CURRENT POPULATION IS 930, BUT ITS RATED CAPACITY IS ALMOST 1400 AND THEN FOR STATE IT OPENED IN ITS CURRENT RATED CAPACITY IS 8.50, BUT THE POPULATION IS ONLY 421 REPRESENTATIVE DAVIDS MEYER, IF WE HAVE ALSO HEARD REPORTS THAT PRISONS ACROSS THE STREET OR ACROSS THE STATE ARE UNDERSTAFFED TO THE POINT WHERE SOMETIMES THERE IS OFTEN LIMITED MOVEMENT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INCARCERATED THERE.

WHY REOPEN THE PRISONS OR OR WHY IF WE'RE IF WE'RE GOING TO RELOCATE THEM, WHY NOT OR IS THERE CONSIDERATION ABOUT CLOSING OTHERS RELOCATING THE STAFF THERE?

YEAH, YOU KNOW, THE REALITY IS THAT THAT IF WE DIDN'T HAVE CRIME, WE WOULD HAVE A NEED FOR PRISON.

SO IF WE CAN GET EVERYBODY TO GET ON BOARD AND STOP COMMITTING CRIMES WILL BE PERFECTLY FINE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THE LOWER POPULATION IS A LACK OF PROSECUTION RIGHT NOW.

I WILL SAY THIS STATE BILL PLAN.

THEY SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED BUILDING A FACILITY FOR 1500 INDIVIDUALS.

THAT'S NOT A REGIONALIZED APPROACH.

YOU'RE GOING FROM A FACILITY THAT CURRENTLY HAS AS OF LAST TUESDAY, 423, I BELIEVE THEY SAID WERE IN THAT FACILITY AND THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD A FACILITY.

THAT'S 3 TIMES LARGER THAN THAT.

IT DOESN'T.

IT DOESN'T BODE WELL FOR REGIONALIZATION APPROACH THAT WOULD ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO BE CLOSER.

THEIR LOGAN, YOU'VE GOT EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE.

YOU'VE GOT 1000 INDIVIDUALS IN THAT FACILITY A LITTLE OVER 400 INDIVIDUALS WORKING THERE, WHEREAS STATE BILL, YOU'VE GOT 400 IN INCARCERATED AND ABOUT 1000 PEOPLE ACTUALLY WORKING THERE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAINTAIN FACILITIES OR TO BUILD NEW WHERE IS NEEDED.

BUT WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON MAIN MAINTENANCE BECAUSE THE STATE OF ILLINOIS HAS A FAILED ON THAT.

OKAY.

A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

I WISH I WISH WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

BUT I'M SURE AS THIS PROCESS DEVELOPS, WE'LL