By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – State Sen. Bill Brady said it’s time Illinois considers reopening prisons its closed in recent years in the wake of new reports which detail deplorable conditions at a southern Illinois prison.

A watchdog group reports inmates at the Vienna Correctional Center have complained of mold, rodents, broken windows and spiders.

“We don’t need the National Guard (brought in), but I certainly understand the concerns people have,” Brady said. “I think it’s going to require opening facilities up that (Gov.) Quinn closed and remanaging our entire prison population.”

Brady told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin, prisons are overcrowded because lockups in Dwight and Tamms, the super-max security prison, were shut down to save money. He said prison guards are overworked as the state’s overtime costs continue to mount.

Brady said he has confidence that newly-appointed Illinois Department of Corrections director Donald Stolworthy can fix the problems.

DCEO

Gov. Bruce Rauner has proposed Illinois private its economic development agency, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Supporters say a private corporation would have more freedom to negotiate deals and could pay more to recruit good employees, though critics worry about a possible lack of transparency and oversight.

Brady said a privately-run agency would still be held accountable.

“What we are seeing is states move away from the (public) model into a model that can be more competitive and move more quickly,” Brady said. ” I assure you there will be transparency and oversight.”

Working groups

Rauner has confirmed he has formed more than a half-dozen working groups, even though who is on each of these groups and what they are doing isn’t known.

Brady called the report of Rauner’s secret working groups ‘an exaggeration.’

“This is not unusual, but I think what people are speaking about is the fact anything that comes out will go through the committee process. There will be plenty of sunshine and debate.”

Brady said he has served on working groups on things such as Amtrak funding, retired teachers health insurance and pension reform that have met privately in the past. Rauner campaigned last year on a theme of government transparency.

PODCAST: Listen to Scott and Colleen’s interview with Brady on WJBC.
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].