Illinois officials consider closure of several state correctional facilities

The Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability is evaluating the potential permanent closure of multiple correctional facilities, including the Du Quoin Impact Facility, the Clayton Work Camp, and the Greene County Work Camp.

The Du Quoin Impact Facility has been inactive since 2023 due to staffing and health concerns related to COVID-19. While the facility itself may close, Department of Corrections Director Layota Hughes stated that the Impact Incarceration Program—which involves nonviolent offenders performing community service—will continue.

At a public meeting regarding the Clayton Work Camp, a minimum-security facility in Camp Point, officials noted that while the camp currently houses only about 20 of its 150-inmate capacity, its closure would result in inmates being moved to the Western Illinois Correctional Center. Staff would be offered positions at the Western Illinois facility or other Department of Corrections locations to avoid layoffs.