Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009

Illinois governor urged to address 'human rights crisis' at Tamms prison

Legislators, mental health, legal experts, clergy respond

Legislators, mental health, legal experts and clergy are urging Gov. Pat Quinn to address what they described as a "human rights crisis" at the state's only supermax prison, Tamms Correctional Center.

Leaders of faith-based, community and civic organizations and state legislators have signed a letter to Quinn, asking the governor to intervene in the operation of the prison. The letter follows a News-Democrat investigative series -- Trapped in Tamms-- which ran earlier this month and outlines conditions, including that the prison has held some inmates in solitary confinement for more than 10 years.

It asks Quinn to issue an executive order that will:

* Stop the placement of mentally ill prisoners at Tamms.

* Ban long-term solitary confinement, unless an inmate demonstrates a threat to other prisoners or guards.

* Have the Illinois Department of Human Services' Mental Health Division form a committee to provide oversight.

* Adopt policies to establish a clear criteria for placement at Tamms.

Illinois Department of Corrections Director Michael Randle was asked by Quinn to review the policies and conditions at Tamms when he was appointed in May. Randle's recommendations are expected soon, a department spokesman said.

The prison claims to be home to the "worst of the worst" of Illinois inmates, holding them in solitary confinement 23 hours a day with no communal activity, no contact visits or phone calls. Fifty-four inmates have been held at Tamms for at least 10 years, the newspaper reported.

Of the approximately 250 Tamms inmates, 138 were not convicted of any crime in prison. Fifty-five inmates were convicted of acts that could be attributed to self protection or mental illness, such as throwing feces or urine or carrying a shank -- a homemade knife.

State Rep. Julie Hamos, D-Evanston, sponsor of proposed legislation to ease conditions at the supermax, has said, "I can tell you that there is very active interest on the part of legislators to make sure that seriously mentally ill don't get to Tamms in the first place, where they will only worsen."

The proposed mental health commission would review mental health policy, standards and treatment at Tamms and any other prison where an inmate may be held in solitary confinement.