Stateville Prison closure and Logan Prison relocation plans move forward amid public hearings

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - New developments have emerged regarding the plans to close Stateville Prison and relocate Logan Prison, with public hearings continuing to gather community feedback.

In March, state officials announced plans to address critical infrastructure needs by building new prison facilities. The construction costs for the two projects are projected to reach $935 million, but officials say the new facilities will save the state $34 million annually.

At a hearing on Friday, officials stressed the necessity of state-of-the-art facilities.

"One thing I heard loud and clear is that there is support for having a new, state-of-the-art facility for both Logan and Stateville. These facilities are way behind in terms of being modern correctional facilities. So I too support the proposal to build new state-of-the-art correctional facilities for both these locations," an official said.

However, prison workers have expressed concerns about the plans and are urging state lawmakers to vote against them.