Moving North

“It’s like a dark cloud hanging over us. For the past two years, we’ve had zero updates for anything, so it was very disappointing, very disheartening. I feel like none of our concerns have been heard, like everything we have tried to justify in keeping Logan centrally located has fallen on deaf ears.”– Abby Ingram, record office supervisor at Logan. She has worked at Logan since 2015 

“It’s kind of one of those things that’s a little bit bittersweet, because like I do want to be closer to my family if I have to remain incarcerated. However, I don’t want a new prison built, like I am not a supporter of building a new prison.” – Erika Ray, incarcerated in IDOC since 2010, at Logan since 2013 

“Why are women in a so-called progressive state led by a so-called progressive governor continuing to be the afterthought even amongst other similarly situated prisoners. The men of Stateville were removed from their conditions. We still sit in squalor. Considering this was publicly recognized as ‘condemned’ we've already been here six years too long.” – Leanne Childs, incarcerated since 1998, at Logan since 2013

Transfer Troubles

“Staff did not want us there. I got called a b---- more times in the first 30 days at Logan, I believe, than the whole entire time I was locked up [at Dwight]. Those of us who were able to get our property — because a lot of us did not — like a whole bunch of our property boxes, were sitting in puddles of pee. The mattresses had been pissed on and defecated on, they were torn up, they had ripped the power cords from the wall.” – Monica Cosby, incarcerated in IDOC from 1998 to 2015, at Logan from 2013 until her release in 2015

“Everything had to go into one little box, then getting here, not being able to eat, not being able to shop, literally, people ran out of soap. I remember, we were so hungry. People are constantly talking about it; people are in a panic.” – Erika Ray

“It should not matter that some people are afraid of change, or simply prefer the area, or any other reason. Bottom line, we are under the state’s care, power and authority, so it is their responsibility to make these decisions that are best for the whole even where it’s not wanted by the few. Instead we’re talking about ‘traumatic impact’ to be removed which, for me, is nonsense.” – Leanne Childs

“We must downsize our lives to fit the state’s idea of compliance, meaning we will lose a lot of accumulated items we’ve come to cherish over the years. Our regular routines of hustle and bustling will be disrupted, to what, we have no idea. How many jobs are available, how the schooling will be orchestrated, programming divvied out are all mysteries when entering a ‘new facility.’ Most importantly, how many people will be bused to ship out to this prison?” – Sharonda Miller, incarcerated in IDOC since 2010, at Logan since 2013

Staffing Concerns

“I think morale has taken a really big hit (since the announcement). It’s already really challenging working in the department. It’s had a little bit of impact on our hiring. Who wants to apply for a place that’ll close in five years?” – Craig Linne, president of AFSCME Local 2073 and a correctional lieutenant. He has worked at Logan for about nine years 

“I feel like I’m leaving the one thing I’ve known my whole life. (My mom) also worked in the record office. It came with a sense of pride that I went to the record office, and I even promoted further than she ever got to go. So to see me go through all the ranks of it and get to where she always wanted to be, but never got that far, is a huge accomplishment. … Myself and the people in my office, not one of us is willing to make a move to Crest Hill or even the surrounding areas to move with a facility. … In my specific position, every facility only has one of me. There’s not openings for it often, and this is something I’ve worked very hard to get to. Where else can I go and use this knowledge that I’ve gained in my time at Logan?” – Abby Ingram

Conditions in Logan

“We were battling the roaches very, very bad on this house. You go to the bathroom and the roach was like, ‘Wait your turn.’” – Jeanine Elam, incarcerated in IDOC since 2007, at Logan since 2013

“Recently a friend was using the bathroom on the living unit and the raccoons started trying to claw through the ceiling where she was. She took off trying to run, fell, injured her ankle, and went to healthcare from hurting her leg. Because we also don’t have adequate medical staffing, two weeks later ended up with a blood clot in her knee, was sent to the outside hospital, has to get a surgery for that and also has to now see an orthopedic specialist for the original leg injury that was minimized leading to the blood clot … but all because there are racoons in the ceilings and basements nesting, playing, damaging and trying to get in.” – Leanne Childs

“They’ve been doing training programs for various policing entities, right, either the police or the prison staff, and that same abuse keeps happening, and abuse thrives in isolation, and so much of how the prison runs entirely replicates the same dynamics that exist in domestic violence relationships.” – Monica Cosby

Proximity to Family and Court

“It will be better for us who are from Chicago. However, that will take away from those who are closer to Springfield and Peoria; it’s not going to be a win-win for anybody.” — Jeanine Elam

“The No. 1 concern is that we are centrally located as an RNC [Reception & Classification Center], the only women’s RNC in the entire state. We are central to all aspects of the state. If they move the RNC portion, as well as the rest of the prison to Crest Hill, the downstate areas and counties are going to suffer major hits. … The Logan staff will have the same issues in transporting court writs downstate for court hearings for individuals where Zoom options aren’t always a possibility, which is going to cause major cost increases for overtime and staffing, wear and tear on vehicles, plus it’s just not healthy for individuals, the individuals in custody, to be restrained in a vehicle for that long a period of time.” – Abby Ingram

Impact on Lincoln, Where Logan Is Located

“I was born and raised in Lincoln. My family originated here. My grandparents owned multiple businesses here. My mom and stepdad actually both retired from Logan. My father-in-law retired from Logan. My husband works at Logan. I feel like if Logan moves, it’s going to be the death of Lincoln, Illinois. How much more can our small little community take before it just becomes a ghost town and nobody can stay here because it’s not financially stable anymore.” – Abby Ingram

Not Wanting a New Prison

“Why does it make any sense at all to wait five more years for a rebuild no one really wants anyway? We very clearly will not all fit, when we can be relocated now and at least be safer and cleaner and healthier. If the goal or claim is that the populations will be decreasing then we go back to the obvious question of why waste money on that prison anyway.” – Leanne Childs

“At this point, you have many of us who have done well over 20 years who don’t get in trouble, who have gone to school, who are being positive, who can re-enter society and live productive lives, and opening another prison is not going to do that. I’ll just use me for example. OK, I was given a 45-year sentence. Next month will be 21 years for me. So the question has to be, is keeping me going to deter any more crime, is it going to help me any more?” – Jeanine Elam