Guards face danger inside Illinois jails on Mother's Day
On Mother's Day a fire in a Kankakee County Jail cell block ended with jailer Cynthia Leggett injured while subduing an inmate. Maria Mitchum, jailed for a $35 fine, attacked Leggett as firefighters restrained the scene, highlighting dangers front-line jail staff face amid overcrowding and limited resources.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
James Luke
Associated Press
Kankakee County
Cynthia Leggett
Maria Mitchum
Maria
Leggett
Ms. Leggett
Illinois
Jack Fields
Madison County
Hhis
Juvenile detention strains Illinois facilities and funding
Lack of beds and distant detention centers push Williamson County youths to long trips and costly housing. Officials warn capacity is exceeded statewide with 1,100 juveniles expected by year end, forcing counties to pursue alternatives like foster placements and local screening programs to improve rehab and reduce state-burdened confinement.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
DuPage County
Richard Doria
Wabash
Evansville
Ind
Jerry Woolsey
Perry County
Cook County
Phillip Hardiman
J.L. Schmidt
Associated Press
Williamson County Juvenile Court
Tom Haney
Haney
Williamson County
Belleville
Illinois
Nic Howell
State Department of Corrections
Howell
Madison County
Edwardsville
Thurl Jones
Third Judicial District
St. Clair
Greater Egypt
Bill Young
Cook
DuPage
Lake Counties
Young
Pendulum swinging back on jail design in Illinois
The piece traces jail design from medieval Forts to modern dormitory styled facilities across Kane Winnebago and Champaign counties. It notes the shift toward rehabilitation and humane spaces with unbreakable windows, then reports escapes testing these ideas and calls for a balance between security and humane design amid rising crime.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Chuck Metcalfe
Illinois Youth Center
Joliet
Susan J. Smith
Associated Press
Macoupin County
Carlinville
Kane
Winnebago
Champaign
Harvey Siegel
Phillips Swager Associates
Peoria
Illinois
Champaign County
Kane County
Rockford
del Grussing
Eugene Buldak
Buldak
Siegel
Phillips Swager
National Clearinghouse On Criminal Justice
Peas
Oliver O’kier
Deten
Jailers say respect important to handle area prisoners
Southern Illinois jailers describe daily challenges including preventing fights and self harm, guarding against contraband, and maintaining order. Will ie Mason, Jackson County Jailer, stresses vigilance and treating prisoners as humans while noting rare escapes and ongoing stress from confinement.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Iinoisan
Illinois
Jackson County
Willie Mason
Mason
Curran Fields
Franklin County
Illinois Department of Corrections
Also Mentioned on This Page
Peoria County
George Shadid
Mike Green
Rock Island
Ter
Macon County
Stephen Fisher
Walter Smith
Winnebago County
U.S. Supreme Court
Lucasville
Ohio
O’kier
Garry Woolsey
Pat State
Union County
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