The Peru Gazette

“More than a year ago, the governor and DOCCS gave the law firm WilmerHale $9.3 million to conduct a thorough investigation into the root causes of the correctional facility safety crisis taking place across our state. Instead of a comprehensive look at conditions inside all 42 facilities, this final report has a narrow, limited focus.

“Nearly 18 months ago, thousands of correction officers went on strike and specifically cited HALT as a major reason for this work stoppage. Given that documented statement, one would think this topic would receive due consideration. However, there’s no examination or substantive mention of HALT and the impact that’s had on staffing levels and preventing violent, disruptive incarcerated individuals from harming COs, civilian staff and other incarcerated individuals. Further, the report suggests digitizing a host of records and forms for staff, but doesn’t suggest digitizing legal mail and combating the ease with which it is used to smuggle contraband.

“Last fall, I sat with a team from WilmerHale for several hours to discuss loopholes with legal mail and many other issues. It was a detailed discussion and I submitted testimony highlighting my firsthand experiences visiting our prisons and relayed many of the concerns I’ve heard from our area facility superintendents, COs and civilian staff. To see the vast majority of these go unaddressed in this final report is deeply frustrating.

“Going forward, I fear that this report will do little to actually address prison safety and staffing concerns. If the goal is to make correctional facilities safer for correction officers, civilian staff and incarcerated individuals alike, this report falls well short of that aim.”