Illinois Department of Corrections

Photos of mental health care treatment areas and crisis cells in Illinois prisons were included in a 2020 federal court filing in Davis v. Jeffreys, a lawsuit over prison isolation

Concerns for safety rise as oversight of Illinois prison mental health care ends

Shannon Heffernan

An independent expert who has monitored the mental health care was terminated reducing the transparency around an often failing system.

Madison County Jail in Edwardsville is near capacity. With Illinois Department of Corrections pausing intake into their facilities, county sheriffs say they are feeling strained.

Government, Politics & Issues

Illinois Department of Corrections will pause intake of inmates due to COVID 19 surge

Beth Hundsdorfer | Capitol News Illinois

Sheriffs who are charged with operating county jails around the state say IDOC’s decision puts more strain on county resources and personnel.

Seven men completed an entrepreneurship program at Hill Correctional Center last April. But waitlists to take classes like this are long and preference is given to those who have the shortest sentences. Feb. 2020

Education

Lack Of Access, Long Waitlists: Education In Illinois Prisons

When Ralph Gray transferred from one prison in Illinois to another, he didn’t know the move would mean sacrificing access to an education. Gray guessed he…

Concordance Academy of Leadership provides programming to previously incarcerated and incarcerated individuals that will assist with re-entering into society.

Education

Missouri Program Works To Keep Newly Released Prisoners Free From Recidivism

Andrea Y. Henderson

Before being released from prison, Melvin Hill Jr. was doing everything in his power to secure a sustainable job that would allow him to fulfill his…

After a hearing at the Southern District of Illinois' U.S. District Court, a judge will determine whether the state of Illinois must begin changing its procedures for medically treating transgender prisoners. July 31, 2019.

Health, Science, Environment

Illinois State Prisons Must Overhaul Medical Care For Transgender Prisoners, Judge Rules

Kae M. Petrin

A federal judge has ordered Illinois state prisons to immediately overhaul their policies for providing medical care to transgender inmates. Currently,…

Lawyers Ask Judge To Hold Illinois In Contempt Over Treatment Of Prisoners With Mental Illness

Brian Mackey

Lawyers are asking a federal judge to hold the state of Illinois in contempt over the way it deals with mental illness in prisons.

The Education Justice Project offers University of Illinois classes to a select group of men at the Danville Correctional Center. Earlier this year, more than 200 books from the EJP library in the prison were removed.

The Reason Why Hundreds Of Books Were Removed From An Illinois Prison Library

Lee V. Gaines

Lance Pittman arrived at the Danville Correctional Center on Jan. 10 with multiple boxes of books, and bound printouts of articles and book chapters....

Health, Science, Environment

Lawsuit Alleges Illinois Prison Policies Jeopardize Health Of Transgender Inmates

Kae M. Petrin

Updated at 6:30 p.m., Aug. 1 with testimony from Illinois Department of Corrections officials — The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois wants a…

Incarcerated men working inside the Education Justice Project library at the Danville Correctional Center.

IDOC Director On Book Removal: Lack Of Policy, Oversight At State Prisons

Lee V. Gaines

The new director of the Illinois Department of Corrections said during a legislative hearing in Chicago on Monday that the agency plans to revise its...

These are two books that were removed from the Education Justice Project's library inside the Danville Correctional Center. State lawmakers plan to hold a hearing on the issue on July 8, 2019

Lawmakers To Question Officials About Removing Hundreds of Books From A Prison Library

Lee V. Gaines

Illinois lawmakers plan to ask state prison officials why more than 200 books were removed from a college in prison program’s library at the Danville...