Illinois lawmaker speaks out about problems in the prisons - KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar Bluff

Illinois lawmaker speaks out about problems in the prisons

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Written by Allison Twaits - email
Illinois lawmakers are saying changes are needed to be made in the Illinois prison system. Illinois lawmakers are saying changes are needed to be made in the Illinois prison system.
Illinois Representative Mike Bost says there is more trouble brewing. Illinois Representative Mike Bost says there is more trouble brewing.
Increasing the staff at the overcrowded prisons is not an option according to Bost. Increasing the staff at the overcrowded prisons is not an option according to Bost.
TAMMS, IL (KFVS) -

Just in the last month there have been two separate lockdowns at local state prisons in Illinois

One involved the death of an inmate another, an attack on two guards and a chaplain.

AFSME activist believe that the problems occurred because of overcrowding within the prison system.

Illinois Representative Mike Bost says there is more trouble brewing.

He says a hit list was recently discovered that included a list of guards and other inmate's names.

Just another reason Illinois lawmakers are saying changes are needed to be made in the Illinois prison system before more problems erupt.

As these gang members gain power and understand what they can do again they are going to start calling for hits on the outside as well," says Bost. "So if we don't reopen Tamms, that's what needs to be done. We need to open our facilities back up figure out what we have to do to shift the revenue around to cover this."

Increasing the staff at the overcrowded prisons is not an option according to Bost because of Illinois' troubling budget.

Bost says prior to the opening of Tamms back in 1998 the state saw similar problems in the system as they are today.

He believes the only option for the state is to reopen Tamms.

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