When I read the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) announcement that the new Logan Correctional Center will be built in Crest Hill, next to the new Stateville prison, I felt deep worry for all those still behind bars at the current prison. As a woman previously incarcerated there, I know firsthand that conditions at Logan are inhumane. In 2023, the IDOC Facility Master Plan even described the prison as “unsuitable for any population.”
As I experienced with the closure of Dwight Correctional Center in 2013, the process of closing a prison and transferring people is always challenging. It affects everyone involved—incarcerated people, guards, staff, and even our families. Nerves are frayed to the breaking point. Uncertainty causes more chaos, and tempers flare. There’s been no transfer plan presented by IDOC, and we need one now: to provide stability in what could be a chaotic experience, possibly erupting into violence.
IDOC representatives say they plan to maintain Logan until the new prison is built. This does not seem feasible given the deteriorating conditions at the prison. The 2026 monitoring report on Logan, produced by the Illinois watchdog organization the John Howard Association, provides a glimpse into these conditions: unsafe water, extreme temperatures, rodent and bug infestations, plumbing issues, and crumbling infrastructure create an unsafe living environment. Persistent understaffing interrupts programming and time spent outside housing units. Abysmal mental health services prevent even people housed in the mental health unit from receiving proper care. A lack of medical care exacerbates treatable health issues. Inconsistent access to the commissary, as well as the prohibitive cost of available items, contributes to hunger and a lack of basic hygiene items. Ongoing sexual coercion and abuse create a culture of exploitation and violence…