© 2024 NPR Illinois
The Capital's Community & News Service
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Thomson Prison Is Closer To Full Activation

Northern Public Radio | By Chase Cavanaugh
Published June 6, 2018 at 5:28 PM CDT
State of Illinois
Credit State of Illinois

Thomson Prison is on course to open by the end of 2019. 

The prison was built by Illinois in 2001, but state government didn't have enough funds to keep it running. As a result, it was sold to the federal Bureau of Prisons in 2012.  The Bureau's Acting Director, Hugh Hurwitz, says it will open as a high-security facility with some specialized units and have up to 600 employees. 

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) says the facility will help bring jobs to Thomson and the surrounding region, while also addressing prison overcrowding. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) agreed, saying he would push for "robust federal funding" to ensure the prison opens up on time and operates "in a safe, responsible, and humane manner."  

The two Senators discussed the opening with Hurwitz and were joined by U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-17). 

Copyright 2021 WNIJ Northern Public Radio. To see more, visit WNIJ Northern Public Radio.

Chase Cavanaugh
Chase started in radio while earning his Master's in diplomacy and international commerce at the University of Kentucky. He was bitten by the radio bug while volunteering at Radio Eye (a local equivalent to NIRIS) and soon became a reporter at WUKY. After four years of reporting in Kentucky's Bluegrass, Chase traveled north to join WNIJ as Morning Edition producer. He organizes our morning broadcast, making sure the host is well-supplied with interesting, fresh content. In addition to his pre-dawn duties, Chase reports on a variety of developments in our broadcast area but is particularly drawn to anything with a political or international connection. He is also an avid board gamer.
See stories by Chase Cavanaugh