Our lives matter, Ehlers said in an email. At a recent state Senate committee hearing, acting IDOC Director Rob Jeffreys acknowledged the high numbers, which he blamed in part on increased testing and said mirrors state and national trends. At UPLC, we are doing our best to stay up to date on the latest COVID-19 developments at IDOC facilities around the state. To donate to our work fighting the spread of coronavirus in Illinois' prisons. That is the highest figure ever. Bedi, though, said there are reports that a significant number of correctional officers are refusing vaccines, which continues to pose a risk to those in congregate settings. A broken ankle. He just wanted to die with dignity outside of prison, at home with his family.. The settlement reached Tuesday called for the release of low- to medium-risk inmates who are within nine months of their release date and are eligible for certain good-time credits, court records show. The House-passed bill, HR 5682, establishes a new program of time credits (sec. Roger Hertzberg, 76, died Sept. 24, 2020, at Robinson Correctional Center of COVID-19 complications while undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. He has come back to normal now since coming home with family, but remains thankful. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Corrections, demanding the immediate release of Illinois prisoners vulnerable to the coronavirus. Bronis said he recovered but continues to have headaches and breathing difficulties. The union instead proposed that it will continue to educate staff, in the hope that more staff will agree to vaccinate voluntarily. There have been 87 Illinois prisoner deaths due to COVID, according to the Marshall Project's database. A lock ( Territories Financial Support Center (TFSC), Tribal Financial Management Center (TFMC), IllinoisCriminal Justice Information Authority. He kept reaching out, Mom, help me. Cynthia McDonalds son, Joseph Wilson, 44, died of a COVID-19-related illness while hospitalized on April 13. March 2022 2 0Act%20v1.29.2022.pdf. He had three disciplinary tickets in four decades for minor infractions, said his lawyer, Soble. The Pandemic Had Prisoners' Nerves On Edge. The effort includes a proposed class-action lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court, naming Gov. "(The prisoners) have provided no convincing reason for a federal court to intrude here and now -- either to issue a blanket order for the release of thousands of inmates or to superimpose a court-mandated and court-superintended process on the mechanisms currently in place to determine which IDOC inmates can and should be safely removed from prison facilities at this time," the judge wrote in his 48-page opinion. She said that while the number of prisoners who will be released was significant, there are thousands more who have a legal mechanism to seek release and should get it. While he was awaiting a decision on clemency, he passed away alone in prison, though he did not pose a risk to the public. An amended lawsuit filed against Rob Jeffreys, director of the Illinois Department of Corrections, and Gov. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. ESSENTIALLY, ONLY INFORMATION ON PRISONERS RELEASED IN THE 1970'S IS AVAILABLE IN ANY DETAIL. Chaney, who was granted a sentence commutation by Gov. WebUNDER THE LAW EFFECTING THIS CHANGE, PRISON TERMS ARE ESTABLISHED FOR SERIOUS OFFENSES AND FOR SUPERVISED RELEASE TERMS, AND IDOC should view this agreement as a first step towards maximizing its power to release people from prison and reunite families. UPLC is tracking COVID-19 cases in IDOC. Releasing inmates "requires a process that gives close attention to detail, for the safety of each inmate, his or her family, and the community at large demands a sensible and individualized release plan -- especially during a pandemic," the opinion continued. On April 2, 2020, in response to the swiftly spreading coronavirus epidemic in Illinois' prisons, a consortium of the area's leading civil rights attorneys and community advocates filed three cases seeking release of prisoners. Savage, a contract employee, had planned to retire in March but died on Nov. 6. In an effort to address the COVID-19 pandemic inside the states prisons, CDCR implemented emergency measures to protect all those who live and work in our state prisons, and the community at-large. The state crime rate actually declined while early release was operating. HISTORICAL FILES ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO USE FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES. Others are still hoping to be released. Over four months, only one inmate died of COVID-19 systemwide. "This bill creates policy that honors people's humanity while at the same time prioritizing public safety," said Lt. He cited the rising numbers and urged the department to act quickly because of an anticipated nationwide fall/winter surge, making a priority of prisons with large elderly populations, such as the one in Dixon. His cellmate filed a written grievance seeking an investigation into the staffs handling of the matter. W&lP-1C/(JISe?jp}2 =U*#Ochs#U, MI6rje{ It is still very much a real issue., Jennifer Soble, executive director of the Illinois Prison Project, which also represented the plaintiffs in the suit, said IDOC also is working on new policies regarding electronic detention, discretionary sentencing credits and others that will help thousands of other inmates as well.. Illinois will soon begin vaccinating prisoners against COVID-19. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Illinois officials on Monday reported the death of a state prison inmate from COVID-19 and acknowledged the difficulty they face in stopping the spread of the virus in a crowded correctional system. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS But some Illinois House Republicans have criticized his administration for releasing prisoners who committed violent crimes and for not being more transparent. Pritzker could slow the spread of COVID-19 at Cook County Jail, Prisons worldwide risk becoming incubators of covid-19, Pritzker criticized over quiet commutations, not releasing medically vulnerable, Request for broad prisoner release untenable on class-wide basis, Ill. Judge Won't Expedite Prisoners' Release Amid COVID-19, Federal judge declines to step in and order Illinois to release more inmates in the face of COVID-19 threat, PRISONERS IN ILLINOIS DESCRIBE DIRE CONDITIONS AMID CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK, Pritzker Signs Executive Order Allowing Prisoner Furloughs, Pritzker Signs Executive Order Allowing Medical Furlough for IDOC Inmates, Activists Fight to Prevent Virus Spread in Prison Petri Dishes, As COVID-19 Spreads, Advocates Sound Alarm For People In Prisons And The Communities Around Them, As COVID-19 Spreads, Advocates Sound Alarm For People in Prisons And The Communities Around Them, Stateville prison outbreak signals COVID-19 threat to inmates, surrounding hospital systems, Illinois prisons and rural healthcare systems facing crisis due to slow COVID-19 response, Pritzker named in suit to free prisoners at risk of COVID-19, Civil Rights Attorneys Launch Legal Challenge to Free Prisoners At Risk of Coronavirus, 1st Illinois prison inmate dies of COVID-19, health officials say, Group Calls On State To Release Inmates After COVID-19 Death At Stateville Prison, Stateville inmates with Coronavirus taken to Saint Joseph Medical Center, Alarm grows as Cook County, state struggle with what to do with the incarcerated in the face of COVID-19, Illinois inmate dies from COVID-19; dozens more sickened, Jails and prisons could become coronavirus disaster. (Family photo). (Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune). As PLN has reported extensively in the past, while most states and the federal government have medical release laws on the books, sick prisoners still generally die in The lawsuit argued that keeping medically vulnerable prisoners who are at risk of contracting COVID-19 confined in close proximity to one another violated their constitutional rights, including the right protecting individuals from cruel and unusual punishment. "By signing the Joe Coleman Medical Release Act into law, it's my intention to honor Joe Coleman's legacy as a father, as a veteran, as a man who spent his days raising funds for charity from behind bars," said Governor JB Pritzker. In cases of medical But the administration hasnt provided a timeline, said Alyana Alfaro, a spokeswoman for the governor. ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM REPORTS ON INDIVIDUALS IS GOVERNED BY ILLINOIS STATUTE, AS IS ACCESS TO SUPERVISION FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES. As a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic spread rapidly through Illinois prisons this fall, 73-year-old Watson Gray made another plea to be released from Dixon Correctional Center, where new infections were rising. Mason said he spent the decades reading novels, writing to his family and mentoring young inmates. Linda Savage, 64, a nurse at Vienna Correctional Center in downstate Vienna, died Nov. 6, 2020, of complications related to COVID-19. SPRINGFIELD The right of Illinois workers to organize and to bargain collectively could soon be codified into the states constitution, and the terminally ill could soon secure early release from prison more quickly under measures that passed through the General Assembly Wednesday. UPLC is tracking COVID-19 cases in IDOC. A man incarcerated at the Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill is among eight new deaths from the Coronavirus in Illinois, and 18 other inmates were taken to AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, officials said. Alan has been fighting for the rights of imprisoned people for decades and has played a key role in recent efforts to free prisoners who are locked in facilities where the coronavirus is spreading like wildfire. The latest IDOC data shows 82 prison staff and 45 prisoners are currently positive for COVID-19, and a total of 4,177 staff and 10,768 prisoners have tested Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Alan, welcome to the show. He wasnt really asking for another chance, said Lindsay Hagy, Grays attorney. I'm sorry we couldn't afford this mercy to Joe Coleman, but I'm proud that we'll be able to do so for hundreds of other Illinoisans now that this bill is signed into law. Zach LaVine finished with a game-high 41 points, DeMar DeRozan added 21 and Patrick Beverley had a double-double with 10 rebounds and 10 assists. There was so much information that was coming and we had to figure it out for ourselves because there was just no guidance for correctional settings as it relates to this outbreak, he said. They say that earned time credits, which allow for early release for low-level offenders, need to be utilized more in light of the ongoing pandemic and high numbers of His wife, Susan Hertzberg, 78, still in prison, is trying to get a compassionate early release due to her age, health problems and the virus. The House took up a constitutional amendment to the states Bill of Rights that says Illinois workers shall have the fundamental right to organize and to bargain collectively for the purpose of negotiating wages, hours, and working conditions.. The screening process for staff includes temperature checks and, as of October, systemwide contact tracing. J.B. Pritzker could help the effort with the stroke of a pen. Echevarria is incarcerated at Menard Correctional Center. The roundhouse remains in use today. Help me. That plea, as a mother, is rough to hear.. The Illinois legislature has provided IDOC with significant discretion to release people, and it should continue to do so, Bedi said. He has been living with Bill Ryan, a longtime criminal justice advocate and death penalty abolitionist, since his release. More than 1,000 prisoners in Illinois are set to be released after a lawsuit settlement aimed at protecting medically vulnerable prisoners from COVID-19. The surge has continued, leading to sickness and death that advocates say was avoidable. In nearly two dozen of the cases, Pritzker granted freedom to men serving natural life sentences for armed robbery under the states habitual criminal law, which after a third offense triggers the mandatory sentence even if no one was physically harmed. SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Department of Corrections and a number of elderly and medically vulnerable prisoners seeking early release from state prisons due to COVID-19 reached a settlement Tuesday in a lawsuit brought by the inmates against the department. A new point of contention is where prisoners will be on the vaccine distribution list. Of the 16,000 inmates who responded, 13% alleged they sought health care related to COVID-19 in the prior week but had not received a response. Heres some of whats on our to-do list. 3 0 obj They work tremendously hard under really difficult circumstances, Caumiant said. Staffers are expected to be prioritized with those in the health care field and other first responders. The Senate passed a bill that could allow terminally ill prisoners The couples daughter, Julie Rittenbaugh, thinks her father caught the virus while receiving chemotherapy for cancer in the prisons medical unit. Photos: Northwestern loses to Penn State 68-65 in overtime, Nick Niego is back as Brother Rice stuns St. Rita. Every day I thought my son was going to die, said Bronis, of East Dundee. Lindsey Hess, spokeswoman for Corrections Director Rob Jeffreys, said it was too early to determine how many prisoners would be released under the agreement. We urge officials to promptly release detainees who can be released safely. A 58-year-old cancer survivor who had been in custody since he was a teenager, Scott died in April. Prisons in Illinois, nationally face staff shortages as correction officers quit amid COVID. J.B. Pritzker, which claimed they werent doing enough to protect against COVID-19. At least 153 inmates and 147 staffers in Illinois state prisons are currently diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections. Pritzker's executive order gives the Illinois Department of Corrections permission to allow "medically vulnerable" inmates out of prison temporarily. In addition to providing personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies, the department long ago halted in-person visits, imposed a staff mask mandate and restricted prisoners to their cells with few exceptions, such as showering. Between March 2020 and March 2021, 2,472 inmates have left IDOC custodywith an earned discretionary sentencing credit, according to spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. If you are in contact with a friend, family member, or other loved one who is currently in IDOC custody and believe that your loved one would be comfortable with you sharing their information with us, please take a moment to fill out this survey. State Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, and then future state Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, on the Senate floor last year. While this legislation is applicable to all who are currently incarcerated in Illinois, crime victims have the right to submit a victim statement to the PRB for consideration at a medical release hearing. People in Prison in Winter 2021-22 Vera Institute of Justice, February, 2022 All states and the federal prison system reduced their prison populations in 2020, but 19 states and the federal government increased the number of people incarcerated in prisons in 2021. COVID looks like it may stay. Alan Mills, executive director of the Uptown Peoples Law Center, said that if IDOC strictly followed its protocols requiring quarantine periods and negative test results, the jail transfers should not be an issue. At Stateville, all but three who died were serving life sentences for murder. May 12, 2020: Arkansas state officials announced that 300 inmates had been released from state prisons, and the states Board of Corrections have made over 1,200 inmates eligible for parole since April. In a November interview, she told the Tribune that he used to phone her once a week from Stateville and that, during one call, she noticed he could barely speak. J.B. Pritzker through executive clemency. To try to hinder the pandemics spread, IDOC brought in about 30 members of the Illinois National Guard to assist with routine health screenings and other duties at Stateville. The Illinois Department of Corrections agreed to use its best efforts to process the awards within the next month. Herman Townsell, who spent 71/2 years in prison for a 1994 home invasion, kidnapping and sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl and has been in and out of prison The releases are set to resume soon. Once you enshrine this at the constitutional level, any change is going to be very difficult to reverse, Mazzochi said. Arkee Chaney shows a painting he made about a childhood memory of his father, at his home in Westchester on Dec. 4, 2020. In April, CDCR expedited the release of almost 3,500 incarcerated persons serving a sentence It brought our whole agency together and made us laser-focused to carry out our objectives as we combat this virus.. The latest department data shows 82 prison staff members and 45 prisoners are currently positive for COVID-19, and a total of 4,177 staff and 10,768 prisoners have tested positive since the pandemic began. On April 22, 2020, Chicago area civil rights groups came together to write a letter of support for the actions of Illinois Governor Pritzker. Stateville Correctional Center, a maximum security state prison for men in Crest Hill, on March 30, 2020. Also this month, for those prisons where infections are soaring, both workers and inmates are being tested every three days until no new cases are identified for two weeks. Speaking to the Senate panel on Friday, Jeffreys said strategies developed for the Stateville outbreak, such as deep cleaning, temperature checks, contact tracing and masking staff and inmates, have been duplicated systemwide. This report has been corrected to indicate that the state Senate had already passed the amendment. The move was criticized by some advocates of prisoners rights because of its deteriorated state, but state officials said repairs were made and public health officials inspected it. On April 17th, he commuted the sentences of 7 people in Ohio state prisons. She described a frantic several days just calling everybody at the prison, back and forth, in circles, basically. Relatives also called a nearby hospital, she said, but inmates at the hospital are listed as John Does, which added to the initial confusion. "It's only fitting that his death in prison, though tragic and unnecessary given the many who loved him, will help to restore dignity and humanity to incarcerated people and their families. Official websites use .gov Denice Bronis gets emotional while discussing her fears about her son's health at her home in East Dundee, Dec. 4, 2020. The department also reopened an old housing unit that was closed in 2016 because of mold, bad plumbing and other issues. Hertzberg has 13 months left on her sentence for marijuana trafficking. Their complaints echo a survey conducted in April and early May by the John Howard Association, a prison watchdog group. Since then, the total number of infections has risen by more than 9,000 cases, state data shows. The tragedy is the number of people who have become sick and died. Governor Juliana Stratton. Heres some of whats on our to-do list. Early release from prison is sometimes At UPLC, we are doing our best to stay up to date on the latest COVID-19 developments at IDOC facilities around the state. Federal sentencing and prison experts Maureen Baird, Mark H. Allenbaugh, and Alan Ellis evaluate the effectiveness of the First Step Act, a bipartisan bill passed in 2018. The settlement would accelerate the implementation of the policy by 90 days, she said in a statement. As of mid-December, about 400 employees were out sick and up to 100 more are usually out waiting for test results. Some politicians question states priorities. He tested positive for COVID-19 around Labor Day. Roger Hertzberg, 76, died Sept. 24, 2020, at Robinson Correctional Center of COVID-19 complications while undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. (The Exoneration Project photo). But, between mid-August and mid-October, the cumulative number of inmate infections more than tripled and total staff cases more than doubled. Health officials announced Monday the death of a Stateville Correctional Center inmate from COVID-19, the first confirmed death from the disease at an Illinois state prison. They ranged in age from 35 to 80, with a median age of 62. The grievance alleges that he languished without meaningful medical intervention and that, after he died, his body was left in the cell for hours. Legislators designed the THE PRISON REVIEW BOARD RECEIVES A PRINTOUT OF BACKGROUND AND INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY ON EACH PERSON APPEARING BEFORE THE BOARD FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS SYSTEM AND IS SENT A MONTHLY PACKET OF INFORMATION FROM EACH INSTITUTION. Currently, 57 inmates and 90 employees have tested positive for COVID-19, the records show. Members of End Illinois Prison Lockdown Coalition rally as they call out Gov. WebThe Illinois Department of Corrections is a multicultural agency deeply committed to ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion. All 50 were men. But in denying emergency relief last year, U.S. District Judge Robert Dow said there was no convincing reason for a federal court to intrude on the effort by other stakeholders to contain the problem. (Youngrae Kim / Chicago Tribune), Arkee Chaney, 76, is an artist whose life sentence was commuted to time served in June after 31 years imprisonment for armed robbery. He said, Ill be with you. . ILLINOIS HAS JUST CONVERTED FROM AN INDETERMINATE TO A DETERMINATE SENTENCING SYSTEM. The releases follow an April 20 directive from Gov. A representative of the Illinois Department of Corrections did not respond to a request for comment about the settlement. Echevarria is incarcerated at Menard Correctional Center. In letters and interviews, men inside the facility describe conditions they say are continuing to drive infections at the Illinois prison hardest hit by coronavirus. 120 S Riverside Plaza, Chicago, IL 60606, United States, Box 6000, Dept F, Rockville, MD 20849, United States. She said prison officials did not notify her or Wilsons wife that he was hospitalized until the family made repeated phone calls. The most recent numbers provided by IDOC show that 87 prisoners and one staff member have died of COVID-19-related causes since the beginning of the pandemic. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. An early release law is a state criminal law that allows a prisoner to be released before the end of their prison term. Recently, Governor Pritzker announced that all staff working in Illinois prisons will have to be vaccinated for COVID-19 by mid-October. Arkee Chaney shows a painting he made about a childhood memory of his father, at his home in Westchester on Dec. 4, 2020. We must act quickly. But until now, they have not used these tools, Mills said in a statement. Zach LaVine finished with a game-high 41 points, DeMar DeRozan added 21 and Patrick Beverley had a double-double with 10 rebounds and 10 assists. This commitment is at the forefront of our There is no question that COVID was going to make it into the prisons. Infections have increased about 23% in Chicago over the past week, mostly among people age 18 to 40, according to city Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady. "I am proud that Illinois is leading with compassion and bringing a restorative justice lens to criminal justice policy making. The issue of early releases is a Catch-22 for Gov. Her husband, Terry, said she said was a gifted nurse with a tender heart. She loved camping, travel, flea markets and yard sales. The IDOC denied a Tribune open-records request for information about Bourbons death, citing confidentiality exemptions. J.B. Pritzker arent doing enough to protect elderly and medically vulnerable inmates from COVID-19 inside state prison facilities, according to a lawsuit that claims inadequate testing and sanitation supplies have created conditions where the virus can spread like wildfire.. 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