An investigative story is looking into the death of Larry Earvin, a former inmate at Western Illinois Correctional Center, which spurred federal assault and civil rights charges.

As of Sunday, at least eight incarcerated men at Stateville Correctional Center have tested positive for the virus, along with multiple staff members at the prison. A staff member at the Sheridan Correctional Center also tested positive for COVID-19, and so did multiple individuals housed at the North Lawndale Adult Transition Center in Chicago.

On Today's 21st: Some Illinois prisoners say they were denied eye surgery because they were told “one good eye” was good enough. Plus, we spoke with two Iranian-Illinoisans about the escalating hostilities following last week’s U.S. drone strike that killed a top-ranking Iranian military commander. And, everyone in our state knows the name Abraham Lincoln, but fewer know his rival Stephen A. Douglas. We’ll talk about how Douglas’ legacy shapes today’s Illinois politics. 

After decades of growth, the number of men and women in the Illinois prison system has declined sharply in the last several years. A complex blend of decisions is behind the drop — ranging from the highest reaches of power in the General Assembly down to individual police on the beat.

A settlement was reached with Illinois inmates in 2016, when the state agreed to revamp mental health care and provide better treatment. But a federal judge has ruled that care remains “grossly insufficient” and “extremely poor.” The agency has not hired enough mental health staff to provide care to everyone who needs it, and inmates will mental illness suffer as they continue to wait for long-overdue treatment.