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92_HR0588
LRB9211428RCcdA
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, There are over 48,000 adults and juveniles
3 incarcerated in 36 correctional facilities run by the State
4 of Illinois; and
5 WHEREAS, Despite problems of overcrowding and
6 understaffing, these prisons have an excellent record of
7 maintaining the public safety; and
8 WHEREAS, In other states where private prisons have made
9 encroachments, correctional security has often been
10 significantly compromised, resulting in more serious injuries
11 to staff and inmates, as well as a growing number of inmate
12 escapes; and
13 WHEREAS, One of the primary causes of such unsafe
14 conditions in private prisons is the poor training, high
15 turnover, and low compensation of their employees; and
16 WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly has recognized
17 that "issues of liability, accountability, and cost warrant a
18 prohibition of the ownership, operation, or management of
19 correctional facilities by for-profit contractors" by its
20 enactment of a moratorium against private prisons; and
21 WHEREAS, In spite of that moratorium, attempts are still
22 being made to privatize operations of the State's
23 correctional facilities through incremental measures; and
24 WHEREAS, The Department of Corrections currently
25 contracts out medical services at its facilities, which has
26 led to difficulty in recruiting and retaining health care
27 professionals and hardships for employees, including bounced
28 pay checks from fly-by-night contractors; and
29 WHEREAS, Governor Ryan has proposed the privatization of
30 a number of important functions that impact prison security
-2- LRB9211428RCcdA
1 at all Illinois Department of Corrections prisons, including
2 dietary and commissary functions; and
3 WHEREAS, The privatization of such functions would be
4 detrimental to the efficient and secure function of these
5 facilities and is therefore contrary to the intent of the
6 Private Correctional Facility Moratorium Act; therefore, be
7 it
8 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9 NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
10 the State of Illinois affirms its commitment to a secure,
11 safe, and effective State prison system by forestalling
12 efforts to incrementally privatize operations of the
13 Department of Corrections; and be it further
14 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives opposes
15 Governor Ryan's proposal to privatize the dietary and
16 commissary functions at the Illinois Department of
17 Corrections prisons; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That the Department of Corrections shall, prior
19 to the privatization of any aspect of operations at a State
20 of Illinois correctional facility, seek the authorization of
21 the General Assembly to request bids for any services that
22 are normally performed by employees of the Department of
23 Corrections; and be it further
24 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
25 delivered to the Director of Corrections.