Kane County Reporter

In an October 2 Facebook post, Senator Don DeWitte expressed concerns regarding the future of Stateville prison. He questioned, "With all of the inmates other than the infirmed moved out of Stateville, what guarantee is there that this prison will be rebuilt?"

"With all of the inmates other than the infirmed moved out of Stateville, what guarantee is there that this prison will be rebuilt," said Don Dewitte, State Senator, according to Facebook. "None."

DeWitte shared a link to an October 1 article from The Center Square titled "Doubts continue as inmates, workers move from Illinois prison slated for replacement." The state had been ordered to relocate inmates by the end of September following an August court ruling. According to The Center Square, approximately two dozen inmates remain at the Crest Hill prison’s healthcare facility.

Screenshot of Sen. Don DeWitte'sOct. 2 Facebook post | State Senator Don DeWitte Facebook page

The plan to replace both Stateville and Logan Correctional Center is estimated to cost $900 million. Governor J.B. Pritzker said it would take three to five years to demolish and rebuild Stateville.

DeWitte told The Center Square he has concerns about Governor Pritzker's commitment to reopening the prison. "I’m very disappointed that the governor feels he has the ability to do this all in a vacuum," DeWitte said. He further commented on the situation at Stateville: "I find it incredibly frustrating that apparently all of the security people assigned to Stateville, there are 24 inmates left in that facility, every employee at Stateville is still required to show up for work every single day, and there’s no one there. There are no residents in the facility. That, in my opinion, shows how poorly this administration and the department have planned this transition."

According to the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), Stateville Correctional Center opened in 1925 as a maximum-security prison for adult males with an operational capacity of 3,020. As of June 30, 2024, it housed a total population of 568 adult males.