Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) were named in a May 28 lawsuit filed by the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association.
The lawsuit accuses Pritzker and the IDOC of refusing transfers of parole violators or convicted individuals from jails across the state, starting as far back as March 26.
In a May 28 Facebook post, the ISA said that admission to IDOC and transfers have been suspended by Pritzker in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“At the time, the leaders at IDOC said they needed time to prepare and install proper intake procedures to reduce the spread of the virus from inmates transferred out of county jails. However, no such preparations have been made or implemented, despite repeated discussions between members of the ISA and IDOC,” said the ISA in the Facebook post. “Rather than working together with the Sheriffs to find ways to uphold the law while reducing the spread of COVID-19, IDOC has simply shut its doors.”
County sheriffs have been shouldering a massive burden, the ISA says. County sheriffs around the state are forced to protect county detainees and others, as well as those who should be in corrections system. Now they are also accepting new arrestees and simultaneously managing the spread of the coronavirus.
“Since March 26, IDOC officials have repeatedly denied requests from sheriffs' offices to transfer individuals to the agency’s custody. Currently there are hundreds of individuals being held in jails across Illinois instead of a state correctional facility simply because Gov. Pritzker and IDOC have decided to wall themselves off rather than work with their fellow law enforcement partners to address the issue,” the ISA said in the statement.
Rep. John M. Cabello (R-66) applauded the ISA lawsuit in a May 29 tweet: “Illinois Sheriffs' ROCK! Illinois Sheriffs' Association suit."
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