Victories in the prison justice movement are few and far between but a huge people’s victory is unfolding in Illinois. Governor Pat Quinn has announced plans to close the TAMMS prison – a maximum isolation prison in southern Illinois that is notorious for human rights abuses. He also announced the closing of a women’s prison, two youth-detention centers and six secure halfway houses – which could result in the early release of close to 1,000 inmates. The closings are due to the budget crisis in Illinois AND, in the cases of TAMMS, the decade long pressure by numerous prison justice groups, including the work of TAMMS YEAR TEN. Please follow the link to the TYT website and their request for citizens to thank the Governor for his support in closing down TAMMS once and for all.

A link to a Chicago Sun Times story on the planned closing can be found here.