NORMAL - Calling the decision process for closing Pontiac Correctional Center "raw, ugly politics," a new Illinois State University teacher has made the issue a topic for his students this semester. | Archived video: Prison closure hearing

Michael Gizzi, a political scientist with an extensive background studying corrections systems, is teaching two sections of a class called Contemporary Corrections.

The students will engage in group projects on various aspects of the Department of Corrections' plan to close the 137-year-old, maximum-security prison by next February. Teams of about five students each will tackle historical, political, economic, social and comparative topics and then submit papers and give group presentations.

"It's just raw, ugly politics, and as a result, real people are going to get hurt," Gizzi said of the seemingly sudden decision by Gov. Rod Blagojevich in May to push for closing the prison.

"When you drive into Pontiac, it is such a vibrant community and it is sad to think what would happen if the prison closes."

On Wednesday, the students heard a presentation by state Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa, who has been campaigning to stop the closure process.

"This community has been part of the prison and the prison has been part of the community," he told the students.

Rutherford explained that the Illinois Department of Corrections plans to move the prison's 1,600 inmates to the largely unused Thomson Correctional Center and other facilities.

He said the move would cost the Central Illinois economy about $54 million while boosting the Thomson-area economy by about $47.5 million. He also said the DOC estimates the move would save taxpayers about $3.6 million a year, but that would not make up for the economic loss to the area.

"We need a moratorium on closing state facilities and prisons, and we need to start to deal with the process in strategic, long range planning," he said. "We need to be better prepared in our planning for what we are doing with our facilities."

Gizzi, who came to ISU this semester from Colorado, said he read about the issue this summer and decided he had to involve his students.

The state's Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability had a public hearing last week in Pontiac to collect comments on the proposed closure. Several students went even though it was on the second day of classes.

Gizzi's students generally reacted positively to Rutherford's presentation and expressed support for keeping the facility open.

"It was pretty cool that (Rutherford) came and took time out of his day, and obviously he cares about this issue," said junior Kelsey Osborn of Maryville. "I don't want it to close, and I just think there are too many negative impacts to it."

"It's obviously very controversial, and I think that the closing of the prison is not really going to solve anything and cause more problems with the prison system," said junior Giovanni Circo of Algonquin.