Post by CC on Jul 9, 2009 9:00:33 GMT -5
Prison cuts a bad idea
By Tom Barker, The Southern
Thursday, July 9, 2009 8:58 AM CDT
Gov. Pat Quinn's proposed 'Tough Choices' budget aims to cut state spending by $1 billion, with $125 million coming from the Illinois Department of Corrections. The first phase of the cuts promises to lay off 500 IDOC employees across six state prisons, effective Sept. 30.
Among those prisons is Vienna Correctional Center, and the idea isn't going over well in Southern Illinois.
"We ought to be thinking about how to put more people into our facilities rather than cutting them," said an impassioned State Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg, on Wednesday. "This is really, really bad news, and it's a big safety concern."
Phelps said IDOC is discussing layoffs of about 80 employees at VCC, a facility he said will not survive if the plan proceeds. Representatives will meet with the governor this morning to further discuss the budget cuts.
Many state employees feel the correctional facilities are already at their breaking point.
"It means more pain on top of the pain they've been dealing with being understaffed for the last decade," said Eddie Caumiant, the local regional director of the American Federation of State, City and Municipal Employees, a union involving 85,000 correctional officers and employees across the nation.
"They're just adding fuel to the fire," he said.
In addition to laying off employees, the state plans to release prisoners back into the population, cutting incarceration costs, an average of $23,394 per inmate per year, according to IDOC's 2008 annual report.
IDOC spokesperson Derek Schnapp said the department was identifying inmates Wednesday to be let out on parole. Only non-violent drug offenders within one year of their release dates were being considered for release, he said.
Schnapp said details for the second phase of the layoffs have not yet been finalized but will include layoffs of 500 more IDOC employees. Other cuts are intended for the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, but layoff plans have not been decided.
By Tom Barker, The Southern
Thursday, July 9, 2009 8:58 AM CDT
Gov. Pat Quinn's proposed 'Tough Choices' budget aims to cut state spending by $1 billion, with $125 million coming from the Illinois Department of Corrections. The first phase of the cuts promises to lay off 500 IDOC employees across six state prisons, effective Sept. 30.
Among those prisons is Vienna Correctional Center, and the idea isn't going over well in Southern Illinois.
"We ought to be thinking about how to put more people into our facilities rather than cutting them," said an impassioned State Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg, on Wednesday. "This is really, really bad news, and it's a big safety concern."
Phelps said IDOC is discussing layoffs of about 80 employees at VCC, a facility he said will not survive if the plan proceeds. Representatives will meet with the governor this morning to further discuss the budget cuts.
Many state employees feel the correctional facilities are already at their breaking point.
"It means more pain on top of the pain they've been dealing with being understaffed for the last decade," said Eddie Caumiant, the local regional director of the American Federation of State, City and Municipal Employees, a union involving 85,000 correctional officers and employees across the nation.
"They're just adding fuel to the fire," he said.
In addition to laying off employees, the state plans to release prisoners back into the population, cutting incarceration costs, an average of $23,394 per inmate per year, according to IDOC's 2008 annual report.
IDOC spokesperson Derek Schnapp said the department was identifying inmates Wednesday to be let out on parole. Only non-violent drug offenders within one year of their release dates were being considered for release, he said.
Schnapp said details for the second phase of the layoffs have not yet been finalized but will include layoffs of 500 more IDOC employees. Other cuts are intended for the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, but layoff plans have not been decided.