IDOC looking to reduce segregation

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Administrators in the Illinois Department of Corrections are meeting with members of the Vera Institute of Justice with a goal of outlining a plan to address the issue of segregation in Illinois prisons.

The goal is to reduce prisoner isolation and to create a "best practices" model for IDOC's segregation population at no cost to IDOC through the use of grant funding.

Vera is an independent, non-partisan, nonprofit center for justice policy and practice, with permanent offices in New York City and "http://www.vera.org/centers/washington-dc-office" Washington, DC.

Director Michael P. Randle says "Public and Institutional safety are our top priorities. It can be a challenge with the large inmate population we are responsible for without using segregation units as a tool. We are looking at policies and procedures that will maintain our commitment to safety while reducing our reliance on these segregation units. Our goal is to address this issue thoughtfully and with strategies that have a proven success rate. That is why we are partnering with a national Institute over 45-years of experience to solving issues that impact the Justice System."

Research from Mississippi and Ohio has shown that it is possible for states to save money by significantly reducing the number of prisoners in isolation while maintaining institutional and public safety, according to the Vera Institute of Justice.

Including the Menard Correctional Center, IDOC operates 27 prisons throughout Illinois in addition to work camps, boot camps and adult transition centers. The agency is responsible for operating a safe and secure prison system as well as enhancing prison-based treatment, prevention programs and the successful re-entry of inmates into society.