Area legislator leads effort in state senate to keep work camp open

<p class="p1">State Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, said he has taken the reigns in the Illinois State Senate to guide legislation that keeps Hardin County Work Camp open. </p><p class="p1">Forby said in a news release that the measure simply provides that the Illinois Department of Corrections “shall operate the Hardin County Work Camp. Governor Rauner has been slowly siphoning off workers and inmates from the prison in an effort to sink an already struggling Southern Illinois economy.” </p><p class="p1">Forby said that cutting the work camp “is irresponsible.</p><p class="p1">He said that the camp’s inmates “help local governments during natural disasters, save surrounding counties millions of dollars in project costs and inmates donate 7,000 hours per month in community service to neighboring cities. </p><p class="p1">“These are the types of facilities that allow inmates to pay their debt to society while also developing skills, so once they are released they don’t come back.” </p><p class="p1">Earlier this year the Committee on Government Forecasting and Accountability held a hearing to discuss the economic impact of closing several state facilities. The panel voted in favor of keeping Hardin County Work Camp open.</p><p class="p1">“If the governor wants to work on closing the gap on recidivism, this is his chance. Keep Hardin County Work Camp open,” Forby said.</p><p class="p1">The measure is in the Rules Committee in the Illinois House of Representatives. </p><p class="p1">Once it’s passed out of the House, Forby said he will “lead the charge to keep jobs in Southern Illinois.”</p><p class="p2"> </p>