Vienna Correctional Center

The Vienna Correctional Center is a Level 6 minimum-security facility that houses adult male offenders. The facility opened in 1965 and is located in southern Illinois adjacent to the Shawnee National Forest in Johnson County.

The physical design of Vienna Correctional Center is based on the town square concept, which includes the dining facility, library, chapels, commissary, barbershop and gymnasium. The six housing units are positioned in a manner that promotes awareness and interaction with others. The housing capacity of Vienna Correctional Center is 885. Criteria for placement at Vienna Correctional Center requires that an offender be within five years of his anticipated release date, exhibit positive institutional adjustment and exhibit measurable participation in rehabilitative and/or educational programs.

Vienna Correctional Center is the parent facility to the Impact Incarceration Program (IIP) at Dixon Springs, which is located in Pope County. Designated as a Level 7 facility, the IIP was opened in 1990. The bootcamp philosophy is designed to provide a short-term program of labor intensive discipline to include programming geared toward improving self-esteem and discouraging further criminal behavior. The IIP is a co-ed program with a housing capacity for 284 offenders, designed for 50 female and 234 male participants. During FY 2003, the average age of offenders involved in the program was 21 years, with an average daily population of 239 offenders.

Highlights

In the spring of FY 2003, a housing ventilation air-conditioning upgrade project was initiated to improve the ambient air quality in the living units. Upon completion of the project, the entire ventilation system, including ductwork, will be replaced in each of the six living units.

To centralize educational programs at the facility, the general library was relocated to the education building. The project required renovating underused classroom space and constructing shelving units and work-study areas. This allowed offenders enrolled in the constructional occupations program an opportunity to experience hands-on application of training obtained in the classroom.

Offenders assigned to the IIP program provided approximately 5,201 man-hours in tornado relief efforts during the spring of 2003. Offenders participating in the IIP program assist surrounding communities by completing public service projects for state parks, correctional facilities, surrounding towns and highway work programs in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Transportation. During the past year, work crews have performed special details, which included set-ups for local encampments, festivals and charity drives.

Reducing Recidivism

In keeping with the mission of the Illinois Department of Corrections, it is the goal of Vienna Correctional Center's staff to reduce recidivism and provide training to offenders. The programs offered to offenders incarcerated at the Vienna Correctional Center are geared toward rehabilitating negative behavior and reinforcing positive achievements. Offenders have the opportunity to participate in educational programs, vocational programs and complete jobs, which require skilled labor. Offenders have the opportunity to work with skilled laborers in the Maintenance Department.

Vocational programs offered at the facility provide inmates with training, education and the ability to obtain licensure and certificates upon completion of course requirements. With the training obtained in the cosmetology, barber college, auto body, auto mechanics, food service and emergency medical technician courses, gainful employment is accessible to offenders upon completion of state examinations.

Security Initiatives

During FY 2003, controlled line movement to assignments, dietary and the medical unit, yard and recreation were implemented to improve security of the facility. Implementation of scheduled yard and recreation activities allows offenders on each unit an equal opportunity to participate in recreational activities while minimizing the total number of inmates allowed in recreational areas at one time. This provides better security and a safer environment.

A key and lock replacement project was initiated with entrance and exit doors replaced in all units and cell doors in two of six housing units.

To use available space and staff, reorganization of the facility included relocating the general library to the education building and the staff-dining area was moved within the inner perimeter fence.

Personal property and the clothing room were relocated to Building No. 19 center core to minimize the time required for clothing and personal property issuance to inmates upon reception. All inmates received on transfer are processed through and housed in Building No. 19. This centralized the intake process and reduced interruption to daily movement. The centralization of personal property and clothing enhances security measures.

Fiscal Responsibility and Budgetary Compliance

Losses related to theft and spoilage have been identified and corrected by using the department's audit process and initiating intermittent audits and inventories of fiscal and physical inventories. The requisitioning process is closely monitored to ensure compliance with established guidelines.

Indicator Reports

Vocational programs offer education and training in the areas of auto body, auto mechanics, culinary arts, cosmetology, horticulture, construction management, custodial maintenance, Cooperative Work Training, data processing and emergency medical technician. The programs are open enrollment with the exception of emergency medical technician, which is a nine-week program.

FY 2003 statistics reflect 121 offenders completing vocational programs with 4,861 credit hours generated. The vocational program was ranked number one in the state during this period and was staffed by Southeastern Illinois College.

In accordance with the drug intervention and prevention program, routine drug tests were conducted with 747 inmates tested, all with negative results. In addition, a total of 7,227 vehicle searches were conducted with 10 arrests and 57 visitor restrictions imposed as a result of contraband found. Vehicle and cell searches along with staff attention to security measures have been instrumental in effectively eliminating the presence of drugs in the facility.

New Technology and Automated Enhancements

During FY 2003, several upgrades to the information systems were completed. At the main facility, the processing system was converted to the Desk Stream system that allows a true view picture of all computer functions. Prior to the change in systems, the process of identifying computer terminals experiencing line trouble was time consuming. The system upgrade provides the LAN administrator a clear picture of all routing points within the facility and instantly depicts the location of service interruptions. The token operating system was upgraded to the Ethernet system. This change reduced time required to access the LAN system.

The addition of scanners and an automated inventory system in the inmate commissary has improved the commissary trading process. Prior to the addition of this technology, all commissary transactions were manually completed. The process was labor intensive and time consuming. The automation has dramatically reduced the time required to process commissary trades and reduced the number of errors in the inventory process.

Conclusion

The facility is most proud of its staff. Achievements made during FY 2003 would not have been possible without the hard work of each employee. By promoting the team concept, Vienna Correctional Center has survived fiscal constraints and has performed an unrenowned level providing a foundation for which offenders can reflect on and overcome negative situations.

Vienna Correctional Center remains committed to providing educational and vocational opportunities that will allow for offenders to reintegrate into society with marketable skills.