Vote on Closure of Tamms Supermax on Tuesday

[Bob Palmer]

The State of Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) is voting on Tuesday whether to support or oppose the closure of Tamms supermax prison.

On Monday, please take a moment to contact one or more of the district offices of the following COGFA members to let them know you support closure of Tamms.

Tamms has been a source of shame for many Illinois citizens and legislators, and a target for criticism from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Midwest Coalition for Human Rights. Suicide attempts, self-mutilation and other extreme symptoms of mental illness are an expected consequence of long-term solitary confinement and are common at Tamms.

Closing this notorious prison will improve our national and international reputation. Tamms has always been a bad investment. Treatment and rehabilitation work. Tamms doesn’t.

For years, Tamms reform advocates have worked for improvements in conditions, yet the 10-Point Plan promised by the Department of Corrections in 2009 never materialized. True reform is too expensive. This is a wasteful and destructive prison, and we agree with Governor Quinn that the only choice now is to shut it down.

COGFA Members
1. Senator Michael Frerichs 45 E. University Ave., Ste. 206 Champaign, IL 61820 217-355-5252 mi...@mikefrerichs.com
2. Senator Matt Murphy Palatine Centre Atrium Offices 17 E. Northwest Hwy., Ste. 4 Palatine, IL 60067 847-776-1490 senatorm...@gmail.com
3. Senator Suzi Schmidt 37908 N. Fairfield Rd. Lake Villa, IL 60046 224-372-7465 statesena...@gmail.com
4. Senator Dave Syverson 200 S. Wyman St., Ste. 302 Rockford, IL 61101 815-987-7555 in...@senatordavesyverson.com
5. Representative Patti Bellock (Co-Chair) 1 S. Cass Ave., Ste. 205 Westmont, IL 60559 630-852-8633
r...@pbellock.com

6.     Representative Al Riley 3649 W. 183rd St., Ste. 102 Hazel Crest, IL 60429 708-799-4364 rep.r...@sbcglobal.net

7.  Representative Michael Tryon 1 N. Virginia St. Crystal Lake, IL 60014 815-459-6453

8. Representative Raymond Poe E-1 Stratton Springfield, IL 62706 217-782-0044 po...@housegopmail.state.il.us

Get more information from Tamms Year Ten at http://www.yearten.org/.