WATCH: Frustration mounts with Dept. of Corrections 'unseriousness,' 'timeliness problem'

WATCH: Frustration mounts with Dept. of Corrections ‘unseriousness,’ ‘timeliness problem’

Spread the love

(The Center Square) – The Illinois Department of Corrections has begun scanning prison inmates’ mail, but lawmakers are not happy with delays in the process and the department’s ongoing issues.

The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules met Tuesday as the fall veto session got underway in Springfield.

Committee members discussed an emergency rule for IDOC to scan inmate mail in an effort to reduce the risk of contraband entering correctional facilities.

IDOC Director Latoya Hughes said electronic scanning of inmate mail with tablets began last month.

State Rep. Curtis Tarver, D-Chicago, asked Hughes if the tablets prioritized games and apps over scanning mail.

“The functionality of the tablets are being built as we go. I’ve tried to explain it in prior meetings. It’s similar to, again, the plane is being built as its flown,” Hughes said. “We are continually building items onto that tablet so that it has all of the functionality that we need, but games were certainly not prioritized.”

Tarver expressed similar concerns at a JCAR meeting last month. Tuesday, he told Hughes he would not lie and say he was happy with how things have gone.

“I’m going to take you to your word. You’ve always been a woman of your word. I appreciate that, but I will tell you that there are not very many more opportunities to not get it right,” Tarver said.

Hughes said IDOC has met with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to print physical mail for inmates who request it.

Tarver and state Rep. Steven Reick, R-Woodstock, both questioned why the tablet vendor was not providing the one thing the department needed.

Reick told Hughes a lot of things would have to be done between now and December for IDOC to get a permanent rule for mail scanning in place.

“The fact that you waited until Sept. 29 to start scanning, irrespective of whether there was a problem with the app or not, tells me there’s a certain amount of unseriousness going on here,” Reick said.

State Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, said the collaborative process between IDOC and the committee must be accelerated.

“We have a timeliness problem here, and I have to say it’s a timeliness issue really created by the Department,” Spain said. “When you file emergency rules one day after the August JCAR meeting and then wait 45 days before you begin the implementation of the subject for which the emergency rules were filed, we have now created a problem for the beginning of the year 2026 on where we go next.”

Spain said IDOC’s rule-making authority would be on the agenda for the next JCAR meeting Nov. 18.

Catrina Barker contributed to this story.

Leave a Comment





Latest News Stories

Illinois lawmaker calls for Aurora mayor’s resignation over alleged ICE 'doxxing'

Illinois lawmaker calls for Aurora mayor’s resignation over alleged ICE ‘doxxing’

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois state Rep. Adam Niemerg, who serves on the Immigration and Human Rights Committee, is calling...
Will County Board Graphic.02

Will County Executive Committee Backs Funding Pursuit for $2.33 Million Harris Drive Property Buyouts

Will County Board Executive Committee Meeting | May 14, 2026 Article Summary: The Will County Board Executive Committee on Thursday, May 14, 2026, agreed to pursue state and federal grant...
Will County Finance Logo

Will County Division of Transportation Requests $1 Million Increase to Highway Levy to Combat Inflation

Will County Board Finance Committee Meeting | May 5, 2026 Article SummaryThe Will County Division of Transportation is requesting a $1 million increase to the county's Highway Levy for FY2027,...
Will County Board Graphic.03

Will County Hears Proposal to Establish County-Focused Land Bank for Distressed Properties

Will County Board Executive Committee Meeting | May 14, 2026 Article Summary: The Will County Board Executive Committee on Thursday, May 14, 2026, heard an introductory presentation from Will County...
Lincoln Way West Warriors Baseball

Lincoln-Way West Rallies to Edge Lincoln-Way Central in 10-8 Victory

In a high-scoring conference showdown on Friday, the Lincoln-Way West varsity baseball team mounted a critical mid-game rally to secure a 10-8 home victory over Lincoln-Way Central. The Knights struck...
Lincoln Way West Warriors Softball

Sandburg Edges Lincoln-Way West in Tight Conference Duel

In a closely contested conference matchup on Friday, the Sandburg varsity softball team edged out Lincoln-Way West for a narrow 2-1 victory. The game served as a defensive battle, with...
EXCLUSIVE: The Oversight Project calls for investigation into Fusus, Oak Brook contract

EXCLUSIVE: The Oversight Project calls for investigation into Fusus, Oak Brook contract

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Oak Brook police chief welcomes an investigation into how the village obtained a multi-million taxpayer funded...
solar panels photovoltaics in solar farm

Will County Executive Committee Recommends 600 MW Pride of the Prairie Solar Project in 6-5 Split Vote

Will County Board Executive Committee Meeting | May 14, 2026 Article Summary: The Will County Board Executive Committee on Thursday, May 14, 2026, voted 6-5 to recommend approval of a...
Will County Finance Logo

Aging Systems and Judicial Mandates Drive Significant FY2027 Budget Requests for Will County Courts and Sheriff

Will County Board Finance Committee Meeting | May 5, 2026 Article SummaryMultiple Will County justice and public safety departments detailed millions of dollars in operational and capital needs for FY2027,...
Will County P&Z Logo Planning Zoning

Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Planning and Zoning Commission for May 5, 2026

Will County Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting | May 5, 2026 The Will County Planning and Zoning Commission met on May 5, 2026, to deliberate on several high-impact infrastructure and...
Debate grows over bill on gender, abortion care access in child placement

Debate grows over bill on gender, abortion care access in child placement

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A proposed law could allow child services to consider a child’s gender identity and access to abortion...
Lawsuit: D300 secretly gender transitioned student; Seeks to nix IL gender ‘guidance,’ too

Lawsuit: D300 secretly gender transitioned student; Seeks to nix IL gender ‘guidance,’ too

By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square A mother from Chicago's far northwest suburbs has lodged a lawsuit against her child's public school district, accusing Community Unit School District...
IL biometric privacy suits say tech companies used broadcasters’ work to train AI

IL biometric privacy suits say tech companies used broadcasters’ work to train AI

By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square CHICAGO — Some of America's biggest tech companies have been hit with class action lawsuits under Illinois' stringent biometrics privacy law, accusing...
Illinois Quick Hits: Report shows 8% of Cook County offenders on electronic monitoring AWOL

Illinois Quick Hits: Report shows 8% of Cook County offenders on electronic monitoring AWOL

By Sean Reed | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A report from a Cook County judge revealed that 8% of people participating in the electronic monitoring...
GOP congressional candidate calls single-stream recycling a ‘sham’

GOP congressional candidate calls single-stream recycling a ‘sham’

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Republican congressional candidate Angel Oakley says much of the material Americans place in recycling bins ultimately...