Stateville Inmates Ordered To Move Before October: Judge

CREST HILL, IL — In light of a recent class action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, a federal judge has ruled that the Illinois Department of Corrections needs to send the majority of its inmatesat Stateville Correctional Center to other prions in Illinois and this must happen before Oct. 1.

According to Joliet news radio station, WJOL, the judge's decision came after civil rights lawyers argued that the living conditions at Stateville were too hazardous for the inmates being housed there.

Later, on Monday, State Senator Rachel Ventura, a Joliet Democrat, issued her own press release after learning of a federal judge’s ruling that the Illinois Department of Corrections must move most of the incarcerated people out of the Stateville Correctional Center by the end of September.

“After working intimately with system impacted individuals at Stateville, I recognize how important educational programs are at the facility," Ventura announced. "As the state transitions individuals out of Stateville, I am advocating for them to be placed in facilities that meet their needs, including those pertaining to education, accessibility and workforce and restorative justice programming.

“I encourage the Department of Corrections to work with all stakeholders, including AFSCME, universities, families and restorative justice programs to make sure the transition fulfills the needs of those impacted.

“We must keep stakeholders, families and employees in mind during this transition and be cognizant of their limitations and financial barriers when it comes to transporting these individuals and job relocation. I will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure all parties are given full transparency."

Earlier this month, Patch reported that attorneys representing the more than 400 inmates at Stateville Correctional Center in a class action lawsuit had filed a motion seeking their immediate transfer or release, citing safety concerns such as extreme heat and falling concrete.

Gov. JB Pritzker in March announced a five-year plan to close and rebuild the prison, which was ranked last among Illinois corrections facilities in a state evaluation's building conditions index, according to civil rights law firm Loevy and Loevy.

“More delays invite serious injuries and possible death,” attorney Heather Lewis Donnell said in a news release.

Stateville is crumbling amid over $250 million in deferred maintenance, according to Loevy and Loevy, which noted the prison has extreme temperatures, unsafe drinking water, mold and vermin. The quarter house, which was built in the 1920s and houses most of the inmates, has concrete falling from the walls, the law firm said.

The condition of the prison has taken on an added layer of urgency since Michael Broadway died June 19 in his cell, according to Loevy and Loevy.