Stateville Prison system turns away 33 McLean County inmates

Posted on August 5, 2020
Sandage says his jail currently has 43 inmates that should be held by IDOC, and that is creating issues with quarantine and isolation. (Photo courtesy: Heart of Illinois ABC)

By Heart of Illinois ABC

BLOOMINGTON – Not only do they have a COVID-19 problem to deal with, the McLean County Jail is also having trouble sending inmates to state prison.

A judge ruled in McLean County’s favor Tuesday morning, finding the department of corrections had to start taking inmates immediately, without restrictions. However, Sheriff Jon Sandage told the McLean county justice committee Tuesday that 36 inmates were bused to the State Department of Corrections, but the agency only accepted three.

Sandage says his jail currently has 43 inmates that should be held by IDOC, and that is creating issues with quarantine and isolation.

“They were stating that they had a capacity of 184 inmates that they could take today, single bunk and they stopped at that. I don’t know any other reason other than they said they were full,” said Sandage.

Sheriff Sandage also addressed public concern regarding visitation. Numerous members of the community sent in emails for public comment, most upset with how Sheriff Jon Sandage is handling COVID-19 at the county jail. All who wrote in say it is unfair that free remote video visitation is not being offered to inmates, despite IC solutions setting up free video calls earlier this spring. However, Sandage said visitation has been allowed since early summer.

“Contrary to some information that is out there, in person video visitation at the jail is open, has been open since June 1, no restrictions. We had suspended it for a while at the start of COVID, and we opened it back up June 1, and it’s been that way sine,” said Sandage.

The jail currently has five active cases. Sandage says all inmates will continue to be tested every five days until there are no more cases. He added the jail is being professionally cleaned Wednesday.

Heart of Illinois ABC can be reached at [email protected]. 

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…