“Tamms supermax closure: Life inside and the future of the facility” @ WBEZ

Posted on April 3, 2012

Carrie Shepherd — April 3, 2012: “During his annual budget address in February, Gov. Pat Quinn proposed closing the Tamms Correctional Center in southern Illinois. On Monday, passionate supporters and opponents of that move gathered at a hearing in Ullin, Illinois. Supporters of the closure include the Tamms Ten Year project. Laurie Jo Reynolds has led that group for more than a decade and says that inmates face inhumane conditions at the maximum security prison. Members from AFSCME were also on hand to testify in front of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.

Anders Lindall, public affairs director from AFSCME Council 31, says keeping Tamms open is about more than just retaining jobs, but that violent behavior by inmates sent toTamms threatens the officers’ safety.

Lindall and Reynolds join Steve Edwards on The Afternoon Shift to explain more about Monday’s hearing and their views on the future of the prison. And, former inmate Brian Nelson talks about life at Tamms. Nelson has been out for 20 months and now works at a paralegal……………………………………”

Read more at WBEZ.