Rushville, IL – There is a new proposal for the Rushville prison, which remains empty two years after being built. Hundreds of people attended a meeting Thursday night to listen to the state's plan, which calls for the facility to house a civil commitment program. The program is for sexually violent people who've served their prison sentence but are deemed too dangerous to be released. The facility could employ around 250 people. Most would be guards. Supporters say it's important to open the facility instead of allowing it to remain vacant. At the conclusion of the meeting, audience members were asked to raise their hands if they thought the proposal would be an asset to the community. The vast majority did so (see the accompanying photograph). Ultimately, the governor will decide whether to move the program from Joliet to Rushville.
SRO Crowd for Rushville Prison Hearing
