Staff at the Danville Correctional Center in east-central Illinois removed about 200 books from a college in prison program's library earlier this year. A majority of the books removed from Education Justice Project's library are about race.
News Analysis — The Illinois Department of Corrections did not fare well in a recent state audit. Among the findings was that the agency could not account for 3,568 pieces of equipment.
Governor J.B. Pritzker has nominated an Ohio prison official to lead the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Last year, the department requested and received $7,000 to spend on educational supplies. This year, the agency requested $350,000, according to Lindsey Hess, a spokesperson for IDOC.
If the proposed budget is approved by state lawmakers, IDOC Director John Baldwin said a portion of the funding would be used to purchase books for state prisons.
Last spring, Illinois Newsroom reported that the Illinois Department of Corrections spent less than $300 on books for all of its prisons the prior year. In a recent interview, IDOC Director John Baldwin said state lawmakers dictate how the agency spends its money.
