Pontiac Correctional Center

Pontiac Correctional Center, which was established in June of 1871, is the main maximum security prison (Level 1) for adult males in Illinois. The prison also has a medium security unit that houses medium to minimum security inmates and is classified as Level 3. The prison houses death row inmates , but has no execution chamber. Inmates are executed at the Tamms Correctional Center or Menard Correctional Center.Although the capacity of the prison is only 1,058, it has an average daily population of 1,660.

In May 2008, Governor Rod Blagojevich’s administration proposed to shut down the Pontiac facility, which would phase out the prison between January and February 2009. The inmate population would be transferred to the Thomson facility, a newly-built maximum security prison, which is also equipped to house segregated inmates. The closure of this correctional center would eliminate many jobs as it is the largest employer in the Livingston County community. [cite web | url=http://www.pjstar.com/archive/x1180657449/Administration-wants-to-close-Pontiac-Correctional-Center | title="Administration wants to close Pontiac Correctional Center" | author=Colindres, Adriana | publisher=GateHouse News Service | date=2008-05-05 | accessdate=2008-06-25] [ [http://www.ilga.gov/commission/cgfa2006/Resource.aspx?id=970 Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability] ] "Facilities Closure Act."

History

The correctional center was originally opened in June 1871 as a Boy's Reformatory and is the eighth oldest correctional facility in the U.S. In 1933 it was named the Illinois State Penitentiary - Pontiac Branch and then changed to its current name in 1973. [ [http://www.idoc.state.il.us/subsections/facilities/information.asp?instchoice=pon Illinois Department of Corrections] ]

Units

Medium-Security Unit

This unit is classified as Level 3 and houses offenders that are medium to minimum security inmates.

Maximum-Security Unit

This unit is classified as Level 1 and contains offenders that need to be segregated and have limited privleges.

Condemned Unit

This unit houses inmates that are sentenced to death.

Orientation Unit

Protective Custody Unit

outh Mental Health Unit

This unit provides psychiatric and psychological mental health services for offenders that are sentenced to be within the correctional system for a longer period of time with a segregated status. These offenders are diagnosed as chronically mentally ill with diagnoses including schizophrenia, psychotic, bipolar or major affective disorder.

References

External links

* [http://www.auditor.illinois.gov/Audit-Reports/Compliance-Agency-List/Corrections/Pontiac-CC/FY02-Corrections-Pontiac-CC-COMP-digest.htm 2002 Audit]