Pantagraph.com | News | Lawmaker: Downstate colleagues encourage crime to fill rural prisons

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

keep-sarcasm-alive wrote on Jul 19, 2008 9:45 PM:

" Country Girl, Pontiac Correctional Center doesn't have AC except in the medical area and the offices...I don't know about other prisons. "

mdorf4 wrote on Jul 18, 2008 11:06 AM:

" I also don't have a problem with ex-cons starting businesses, but should they get better rates than those of us with no criminal record? That hardly seems fair. "

mdorf4 wrote on Jul 18, 2008 11:02 AM:

" Political Heretic
You should change your name to political anarchist. Do you suggest doing away with laws? I guess if everything is legal, you won't have criminals. Drug laws are not in place to persecute minorities. Meth would be legal if that's the case, since it's mainly white trash doing meth. People of any color who chose to enter the drug trade know they are breaking the law, yet they do it anyway. Three strikes aren't enough for you, either? Should they get 5, 8, 10...? After the second, the criminals know the consequences, yet they go back to crime. Poor things. You also seem to suggest there are more "welfare queens" downstate than in Chicago. WoW "

Country Girl wrote on Jul 18, 2008 9:37 AM:

" I wouldn't take away the AC. That could raise more problems for the guards than we would want. The thermostat probably could be raised tho. Chain gangs might be a possibility but I would want to hear what the guards think-would that be more dangerous for them(guards)? "

tammy wrote on Jul 17, 2008 6:31 PM:

" people are complaining that the prisons are over populated. well why do you think its over populated, its not because some innocent person didn't do something horrible. maybe we should be like california with there over population if you've got the money then you don't have to do the time like Paris Hilton or Lindsey Lohan or any of the stars. plz people we put people behind bars to keep this state safe for actual innocent people. yeah chicago might not have farms and crops and livestock, but they do have plenty of businesses up there that if ex-con's can't get jobs thats there fault now explain to me who is going to want to go into a store owned by a robber, a child molester, or a rapist. get real people! "

Old man wrote on Jul 17, 2008 4:01 PM:

" Illinois,we are all doomed. "

Rivers wrote on Jul 17, 2008 3:58 PM:

" Wow. Just wow. I would refudiate her position, but all I've got is 'Wow'. Stop committing crimes and I guess we all will starve (no more agriculture, you see). "

Jarhead71 wrote on Jul 17, 2008 3:42 PM:

" I want to go on record right now, as a down-stater, and promote crime as an alternate lifestyle in IL. We have a prison that was built and sits empty due to lack of support from Chicago Democrats. I recommend that everyone that does not want to work for a living go out and rob or burglarize a business tonight. Why wait? Get into crime while you still have a chance. Now I strongly recommend non-violent crime, as the most productive style for your endeavors. I am not an advocate of crimes against person, nor armed crime. AND, most importantly, burglarize a judge or lawyer so that we can be sure you will go to prison. It is time to fill downstate prisons to help our economies down-state. It is time we stop all of our financial resources from going to Chicago. "

noone wrote on Jul 17, 2008 3:31 PM:

" Bring back the chain gangs. make em clean and dig ditches all day. take away cable and AC. nothing but bread and water, maybe some vitamins. "

middle of the road wrote on Jul 17, 2008 1:16 PM:

" Pontiac Resident there is one huge differance those in Kalie. or as i like to call it the left coast. They at least can defend themselves from attackers with whatever tool they have at hand. "

193821 wrote on Jul 17, 2008 12:56 PM:

" THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO LOWER THERE SELF AND WORK "

193821 wrote on Jul 17, 2008 12:54 PM:

" THE MONEY FROM THE DOC RETIREMENT FUND KEEP TH ECTA RONNING THREE YEARS AGO. SO MRS DAVIS STOP CRYING AND STOP THE KILLINGS IN CHICAGO AND THE PRISON WON'T BE FULL OF CHICAGO GANG BANGERS "

Modulation wrote on Jul 17, 2008 11:56 AM:

" I would rather see some of the money spent on educating prisoners used in a positive way. If they can use the time in prison to get a degree in business or some other useful venture then why not fund a business venture, so long as it is monitored. I would rather that is done than to have them return to prison time and again if they can not cope in society and my tax money goes to waste. "

keep-sarcasm-alive wrote on Jul 17, 2008 11:13 AM:

" We'll give up our prisons if Chicago will give up crime! "

ES wrote on Jul 17, 2008 9:53 AM:

" I was just waiting for someone to blame Obama or make a comment that Obama supports her words. Pseudo, you are a misguided person. Obama just criticized members of the Afrtican-American community for accepting criminal behavior. Again, you are wrong and your comments show racism. Obama had NOTHING to do with Ms. Davis' comments. How dare you suggest that he does; are you really THAT racist? "

ONLY IN AMERICA wrote on Jul 17, 2008 9:43 AM:

" Just another example of liberal democrat's running their mouths....... Dickey Durbin should be proud !!!!
THE DUMBING OF AMERICA CONTINUES DAILY- "

Pontiac Resident wrote on Jul 17, 2008 8:17 AM:

" Convicts, business loans? What is she thinking about? Chicago needs to be a independant state, and support themselves? The democrats have sure made Chcago a mess. Does anybody else see a similarity with Kalifornia, here? "

real american wrote on Jul 17, 2008 8:13 AM:

" As a guard at the Pontiac Prison (for right now anyway), I would like to know why nobody is talking about the approximatly 4,000 inmates, who have been sentenced to the Department of Corrections, doing their time in the Cook County Jail because the I.D.O.C. doesn't have any room for them? Thats right folks, your tax dollars, millinois of dollars every year goes to Cook County for housing inmates that should be in a prison. Keep that in mind in the next few weeks as the politicians start talking about closing Pontiac. Furthermore, don't believe a word of the report submitted by the I.D.O.C. director that talks about the impact of closing Pontiac. The numbers are wrong. For example, his office says it will cost $353,000 to fix 1 of the cottages that the Majors live in. For $353,000 you could raze and rebuild 2 of them. There will be more on all of this at a later date. Right now everyone should ask their Legislators why there are thousands of I.D.O.C. inmates housed in the Cook County Jail. Also, why is it Parole Officers were ordered to stop drug testing their clients? "

pseudo-intellectual wrote on Jul 17, 2008 7:48 AM:

" The lady legislator has it all backwards- we need prisons because Chicago keeps producing, and exporting, criminals like they were rabbits. Bills like this, if passed, could lead to a big increase in the number of people who refuse to pay income taxes, especially state income taxes. How long do you think it would be before we heard of lifelong criminals skipping town with their state-supported loans, or using them to buy drugs, or build their own mini-empires? A bad idea- but very original. I'm sure we can expect more of the same from Barack Obama... "

7118 wrote on Jul 17, 2008 7:46 AM:

" To Political Heretic: Having a prison in a downstate community does not mean anyone is persecuting minorities. They need to straighten out their own communities north of I-80 so that we have less prisons downstate. That does not mean slapping a $15 fee on every parolee; Rep. Davis would probably appoint one of her friends to run the program, and 3 years down the road there will be an audit that concludes none of the money went to where it was supposed to go. Waste. "

adonis wrote on Jul 17, 2008 7:05 AM:

" Downstate lawmakers, Republican and Democrat, need to come together and demand an apology. It's bad enough that Chicago's problems are spreading to downstate communities, now they want to insult and blame us? I say downstate lawmakers should either get an apology or raise a big enough stink to kill Chicago's chances of getting the olympics. "

Mike wrote on Jul 17, 2008 7:00 AM:

" Another Chicago idiot, to match the mayor and Chicago Governor. Simple really. "

110100100 wrote on Jul 17, 2008 6:53 AM:

" Everyone should go outside, take photos of the nearest corn or bean field, and mail them to this piece of trash. Or better yet, send about 10,000 screen shots of Google Map's satellite view of the state that clearly show thousands upon thousands of little green and brown squares that are farmland. It's basically the entire state. Along with that, a petition for her to resign. "

3838 wrote on Jul 17, 2008 6:43 AM:

" these are great comments , i suggest calling this officials office direct and tell them how we feel, the call the gov and give him your thoughts "

BC wrote on Jul 17, 2008 6:41 AM:

" Some communities do depend of prisons to fuel their economy. That fact doesn't force anyone to do anything that places them inside those walls. There is no need to encourage crime, there is plenty to go around, and then some. This is the same shifting of blame that comes with most accusations of racism. I can't do it so you change the rules or you are a racist. For the fellow who thinks Chicago needs downstate for anything, what a laugh. That is like your teenager thinking you need his lawn mowing money to pay the bills. Chicago generates 80% of the tax revenue, they would be happy if they could just keep all of it. "

who cares wrote on Jul 17, 2008 5:36 AM:

" prison is big business.the last white hope war on drugs documentary explains it better.sure there are a lot of farms along i55 but you just can't say hey i think i'll plant corn or beans there.that land has been in families for generations.not just anyone can do that,and if you work for a farmer the only one that makes any money is the farmer.i know that personally.in the mean time if you keep those cages full it pumps the local economy,it's sad but true.the privet prisons are the most corrupt.they turn prisoners into slave labor.yes in america we have slavery.i know it's hard to imagine but it's true. "

Political Heretic wrote on Jul 17, 2008 5:16 AM:

" How dare she say something so...ABSOLUTELY TRUE. The prison growth industry is big business folks, and the same conservatives who brought you the three strike laws and the like didn't do so out of any benevolent desire to protect society. They did it to make themselves rich and to gain political power. Over 40% of our prison population are composed of non-violent drug offenders who come out someone much worse than a mere pot dealer. Treatment for these individuals would not only be more humane, but also much cheaper for the state. But no, there's money to be made and political power to be had, so it won't happen. Meanwhile, the reason these cities have little more than prisons to sustain them is because persecuting minorities is the only thing skill they have to offer other than farming. Both of them require massive government cash infusions, of course. Where do the welfare queens live, again? Oh, yeah. Right here in the cornfields. "

middle of the road wrote on Jul 17, 2008 3:15 AM:

" they covered this years ago in my college pych. class, its called projection.
noogie yes like the dairy farm outside Bellflower. she might learn that milk comes from cows not a bottle or jug. "

keep-sarcasm-alive wrote on Jul 17, 2008 2:05 AM:

" "We have 5 percent of the world's population but 25 percent of the world's prison population. " Maybe that's because our prisons aren't tough enough...people keep wanting to come back! "

4mama wrote on Jul 17, 2008 12:44 AM:

" How does this woman get from Chicago to Springfield and miss all the farms? I usually take I-55 and most of what I see when I look out my windows are corn and bean fields. This is complete and total ignorance to the max. Maybe she needs to be taught what crops are...or maybe she just thinks they are weeds run amok. Or maybe she's got a driver and keeps her nose in a book educating herself the whole way so she can be more knowledgable about the "real world".
Wake up and smell the pollen! "

Waffle of Justice wrote on Jul 17, 2008 12:09 AM:

" Pot calling the kettle black? "

MRS. wrote on Jul 16, 2008 11:45 PM:

" Hey Davis, if your Chicago goons followed the law you wouldn't have to worry about it would you? BTW, what are those tall green stalks with leaves on them? I hear if you wait long enough there will be an EAR OF CORN grow on each stalk. "

ES wrote on Jul 16, 2008 11:38 PM:

" Whereas I agree there is a certain amount of racism in our society, isn't a comment like: "We no longer plant corn, we no longer have farms, we don’t raise cows and pigs, we keep prisoners..." a bit of a stereotype? I live downstate and my profession is not tied directly to agriculture. And besides, what is wrong with feeding the nation and working hard and honestly. Ms. Davis thinks she is immune to criticism because of her race, which is not only delusional; its equally discriminatory. Besides, do not do the crime if you cannot do the time. If Criminals obeyed the law, there would be no need for prisons. This debate is silly and Ms. Davis knows it. "

wilderness1989 wrote on Jul 16, 2008 11:17 PM:

" cats55ire siad it all and I agree.

This looney tune is a piece of work--what an insult to farmers and downstate IL. "

CubFan24 wrote on Jul 16, 2008 10:15 PM:

" Chicago needs us. Who else is going to support their road construction? "

middle of the road wrote on Jul 16, 2008 10:01 PM:

" I would like to know how taxing ex inmates will help them refrain from committing more crimes? "

buckeye wrote on Jul 16, 2008 8:27 PM:

" We dont want your criminals just fence off the Indiana border , Wisconsin border , Interstate 80 and Rout 39 and we will send them back. We wont miss all the polititions in that area either. We will turn the prisions in to pig pens and improve our communitys. "

cats55ire wrote on Jul 16, 2008 8:09 PM:

" this looney tune is a piece of work--what an insult to farmers and downtown IL.

Let those morons from the windy city be their own state and the farmers in Central IL will stop sending food their way, then we'll talk. . . if they're not too faint from not eating!

to 7118 - a well-stated comment! "

gad wrote on Jul 16, 2008 8:05 PM:

" this stupid woman's comments are as idiotic as california congresswoman waters' about a govt. takeover of oil refineries. elect stupid to govt. and ya get stupid govt. "

7118 wrote on Jul 16, 2008 8:02 PM:

" To Redbeard: "Prison communities" didn't force those prisoners to commit crimes. Rep. Davis mistakenly believes that if they give these ex-cons money to start their own businesses, then they will turn their lives around. Just another example of a Chicago democrat throwing money at a growing problem. Building prisons downstate isn't exactly like the Field of Dreams (if you build it, they will come); they need a place to put criminals. "

Redbeard wrote on Jul 16, 2008 6:46 PM:

" This is a critical issue that is going to continue to surface. The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world. We have 5 percent of the world's population but 25 percent of the world's prison population. This has become big business with prison unions (and in many cases, private prison industries) lobbying for more criminal laws and longer sentences. For the communities with prisons, it means jobs, a boost for the local economy, and increased political power (since the prisoners, while unable to vote, count toward local numbers for representation). Representatives of prison communities may not actually be hoping for more crime, but they certainly understand that more prisoners gives them money and power. "

7118 wrote on Jul 16, 2008 6:44 PM:

" Fine, she can have her prisoners back. Maybe the National Guard can help them sort out their mess up there. Why do ex-cons need to start their own businesses anyway? Let them work on those farms raising cows and pigs, and maybe then they'll understand what an honest day's work actually is. "

noogie wrote on Jul 16, 2008 6:05 PM:

" WOW! That's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard a legislator say, anywhere. She's sounds like a real intelligent one. If she thinks we don't have farms, I think we should bring her down her and put to work on one for a few days, see what she thinks then. "

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