Legislation Would Require 2,500 Additional C.O. Jobs

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — A state bill that would require Illinois to increase staffing levels at state prisons and mental health facilities was passed by the state Senate and has moved on to the House.

Sen. Deanna Demuzio, D-Carlinville, who claims that Gov. Rod Blagojevich has overburdened employees at facilities by cutting thousands of jobs since he took office, introduced Senate Bill 2674.

The bill would require the state to hire 2,500 correctional officers and 1,900 additional Department of Human Services employees.

After the bill was announced Blagojevich proposed a $250 million supplemental budget that includes $1.2 million to hire 250 additional correctional officers for prisons.

A statement released by Blagojevich’s office expressed the governor’s opposition to the proposed bill, “We think Senator Demuzio is a great senator, but on this one issue we don’t share the view that we need to hire potentially thousands more state workers. We’re very proud of the fact that we’ve reduced the payroll to 57,000, saving $800 million this year alone.”

Blagojevich received addition criticism after a convicted rapist and kidnapper was killed at Big Muddy River Correctional Center in Jefferson County. Another inmate killed Gerald Donaldson, 64, while 30 inmates were being transported to the commissary. Some blamed the staffing shortages at the facility because only one officer was monitoring the group and an observation area was left empty.