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Gov. Rod Blagojevich seems determined to go ahead with his plan to close a state prison, even though an independent study shows the closure would be a mistake.
The Department of Corrections spent more than $400,000 for the study, but after sitting on the report for almost a year, it now says it doesn’t agree with the findings. Gov. Blagojevich and IDOC officials say they want to close Pontiac Correctional Center to save about $4 million a year. The study concluded that a 137-year-old central Illinois prison could be kept open for less than it will cost to fix problems at newer facilities. The space will be needed, the study found, because it projects that the number of inmates will grow by some 2,700 by 2016, to about 54,000. PSA Dewberry, a Peoria architectural and engineering firm, finished its $411,000 report in September 2007. However, the Department of Corrections held it until Sept. 12, because the agency believed the report’s projections on the need for additional space didn’t factor in state programs intended to curb recidivism, a department spokesman said. He said the findings won’t change the agency’s plan to close the Pontiac facility early next year. The spokesman said the agency paid for the report because “We want another set of eyes.” If Gov. Blagojevich and his underlings are going to simply ignored its findings, why spend the money to conduct the study? Opponents of the plan to close Pontiac say the study confirms their belief that closing the facility isn’t wise, given that the Department of Corrections’ figures show the prison system already holds about 30 percent more inmates than its facilities are designed to handle. The study also considered the cost of other work needed at many of the state’s prisons, among them Pontiac. The authors concluded renovations at Pontiac could be done for less than $6 million, which was cheaper than fixes required at other prisons. If the study is correct, closing Pontiac is a bad idea. But Gov. Blagojevich doesn’t allow himself to be confused by the facts. The legislature might have to step in to make him reconsider.  Add as favourites (89) |  Quote this article on your site | Views: 332
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