Western Illinois Correctional Center - Clayton Work Camp

Western Illinois Correctional Center is a Level 2 secure-medium facility located on Rt. 99 south of Mt. Sterling 40 miles south of Macomb and 40 miles northwest of Jacksonville. Construction on the facility began on Oct. 18, 1987, with the first offenders arriving on April 22, 1989. There are 21 buildings inside a perimeter fence surrounding 32 acres. The buildings include four residential housing units, an administration, medical and receiving unit building, a dietary, warehouse and maintenance complex, a multi-purpose building with education and recreation areas and a work camp. The prison also operates a Correctional Industries factory processing meat products.

Clayton Work Camp is a low minimum-security facility of the Western Illinois Correctional Center located 11 miles from Mt. Sterling and was added in 1993 housing 150 offenders in a dormitory setting. All areas of the work camp are contained within one structure that includes three offender dorms, dayroom, education classroom, laundry, barber shop, administrative offices, showers, visitation area, gymnasium, dietary and kitchen.

Highlights

Western constructed a new free-standing warehouse freezer. It will totally replace the cubic footage of the present warehouse freezers. This will allow the center to use the old freezers as a combination of coolers and dry storage.

Western replaced the lock cylinders in Housing Unit R-3. They had become a security problem due to wear. The Capital Programs Unit purchased the cylinders and Western's Maintenance Department did the replacement along the key and cell match up.

During this fiscal year, Western began work on the installation of the new food pass through doors and locks on the cell doors of R-4 A and B wings. Capital Programs purchased the materials and Western's Maintenance Department provided the installation.

Reducing Recidivism

As a Level 2 facility, Western Illinois Correctional Center provides offenders with a variety of programs and services to assist them with a successful reintegration into society upon parole and eventual discharge. Such programming is available to offenders through the Education Department, Clinical Services, Religious Programming and the Health Care Unit.

Western Illinois Correctional Center provides offenders the opportunity to build upon their basic education level by obtaining a GED. Offenders may also elect to participate in vocational courses with the goal of obtaining skills necessary to enter the civilian work force. Such programs include automotive technology, business management, computer technology, construction occupations, food service technology and horticulture.

Clinical Services counseling staff assist in inmate issues regarding release dates, services upon release, suitable living arrangements and parole expectations. The Clinical Services Department also assists inmates in getting necessary identification documents for use when paroled. The release process is also discussed in the Pre-Start program and during contacts with the field services counselor. Other programming available to offenders on a voluntary basis include an anger management program and a substance abuse education program.

The Chaplaincy Department at the center offers various religious programs on a daily basis to provide offenders with a sound spiritual foundation. Offenders are given the opportunity to consider morals and values to assist in guidance following their release.

The Health Care Unit prepares offenders for release into the community by way of discharge planning. Offenders in need of health services upon release are assured follow-up care is provided and a supply of medication is sent with the offender as necessary. Additionally, programming offered by the facility psychologist includes sex offender group, stress management and offenders with HIV support group. The center also uses the AIDS peer education program to share information with offenders returning to society.

Security Initiatives

During this fiscal year, Western changed the security fence and gate layout at the operations area. The new arrangement allows for improved movement of segregation and receiving inmates to the Health Care Unit and for visits while retaining security to the sally port, Industries Building, maintenance and warehouse areas. As a Level 2 facility, moving this fence tightens security by controlling the movement of inmates to keep them away from specific areas.

Since Western has been upgraded to a Level 2 facility, windows with steel bars were built and installed on the dietary tower, which increased security for officers assigned to that post.

Fiscal Responsibility and Budgetary Compliance

During FY 2003, Western had numerous staff accept the early retirement package. This affected almost every department at this facility. Each department had to re-evaluate the workloads and re-assign the duties that were previously done by retirees. In re-assigning these duties, the center had to ensure that it maintained accountability and separation of duties according to generally accepted accounting principles while maintaining compliance according to the Administrative Directives.

Also during this fiscal year, this institution consistently evaluated and re-evaluated expenditures to stay within its allotted budget while dealing with staff shortages, temporary assignments to fill vacancies and controlling overtime. The center strived to save money on road trips for writs and furloughs by monitoring the time of day staff leave in order to save overtime and also combining trips and resources. As always, the facility strives to do more with less. Staff has again been asked to only purchase what is absolutely necessary. This includes office supplies to equipment. The center monitors purchases closely to hold down spending in all areas of the facility. The center constantly looks for new cost-saving methods to implement, yet keeps the facility up to high standards in areas such as security, cleanliness and programs.

Indicator Reports

Western had 120 students complete the Adult Basic Education course during FY 2003. There were 80 inmates who took the GED test with 72 passing, a 90 percent success rate. There were 60 inmates who received certificates in custodial maintenance. There were 937 life skills referrals forwarded to life skills centers. With a 7,340 total from all adult institutions, Western had 12.77 percent of the total.

During FY 2003, 104 inmates earned college vocational certificates. In addition, two former students were able to complete requirements to earn their associate of applied science degree in automotive technology with MacMurray College. The construction occupations class completed several projects for non-profit groups in the area. The food service program continued to provide students with the opportunity to complete the state safety sanitation exam as part of its curriculum. All 14 students passed the exam and may now improve their employment opportunities upon release.

Clayton Work Camp sent work crews to assist with community events during FY 2003, such as Gus Macker, Avenue Of Lights, the KC Bar BQ, Briney Levee, Hager Slough Levee cleanup, IYC-Rushville and Lima tornado cleanup. Total work crew hours for FY 2003 were 70,569 with a monthly average of 5880.75. This is an increase of more than 50,000 work crew hours from FY 2002, when there was a monthly average of 4,400 hours. Assisting in community projects or times of need is a way to show support for the agency's communities as well as build good public relations for the department and the state of Illinois.

Between FY 2002 and FY 2003, Western saw a reduction in confiscated weapons, disciplinary transfers, unusual incidents and lockdown days. During FY 2003, Western confiscated six weapons, which is down from 56 weapons confiscated during FY 2002. During FY 2003, Western conducted 139 disciplinary transfers, which is down from 433 disciplinary transfers during FY 2002. During FY 2003, Western reported 94 unusual incidents, which is down from 127 reported during FY 2002. Lockdown days during FY 2003 were four full days and 16 partial days, which is down from FY 2002 when Western was locked down 21 full days and seven partial days. Upgrades were done to the facility when it became a Level 2 facility. As these upgrades have been completed, they increased and enhanced security at this facility.

New Technology and Automated Enhancements

Control systems in the housing units were replaced with computerized systems. This was a complete rebuilding, including floors, ceilings, cabinets, consoles, air-conditioning, lights, fans, intercoms, door controls and emergency systems, which are now controlled by two personal computers connected to a programmable logic controller. A special feature to the system is date manager, which electronically records every event called for on the touch screen by time, date and operator with logon identification number.

A total rehabilitation of all the housing unit showers has been completed. The old tile showers had been leaking for several years. The project included new stainless steel vent covers and polycarbonate light fixtures. A final security enhancement was the addition of custom stainless steel bar cages with cuff slots in the segregation and receiving showers.

Conclusion

Western Illinois Correctional Industry meat processing plant produced approximately five million pounds of product with a gross income of more than $7 million in sales. With an added emphasis on cost savings for the state, Industries is being looked at as part of the cost-cutting solution. An increased use of Correctional Industries products offers the potential of real growth for Western Illinois Correctional Center Industries in the coming years.