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Federal Correctional Institution, Thomson

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Coordinates: 41°58′20″N 90°6′30″W / 41.97222°N 90.10833°W / 41.97222; -90.10833
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Administrative United States Penitentiary (AUSP) Thomson (formerly Thomson Correctional Center) is a maximum security prison located just north of Thomson, Illinois. It has an area of about 146 acres (59 ha) and comprises 15 buildings. The facility is enclosed by a 15-foot (4.6 m), 7000 volt electric fence surrounded by an additional 12-foot (3.7 m) exterior fence covered with razor wire. Thomson has eight cellhouses with a rated capacity of 2,100 beds—1,900 high-security SMU beds and 200 minimum-security beds at the onsite camp—and according to BOP officials, the potential to use some of its high-security rated capacity to house up to 400 ADX inmates.[1] However, from its completion in 2001 to 2006, it sat empty.[2] By 2009, only the minimum-security section houses prisoners.[3][4]

In October 2012, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) purchased Thomson Correctional Center (TCC) from the State of Illinois for $165 million.[1] Initial plans were to transfer inmates from Guantanamo Bay to the facility, a move that was eventually blocked by Congress.

In August 2014, Donald Hudson was named the first warden of the prison.[5] As of 2016, Thompson Correctional Center holds 117 inmates and employs around 250 guards. Both numbers are expected to rise in coming years as planned activation of the facility ongoing.[6][7]

History

The building of the prison was controversial; early plans suggested using the site of the former Savanna Army Depot, several miles north of Thomson. One of the main reasons the prison was controversial was concern[who?] that the prison would have a negative impact on the environment, especially being so close to the Mississippi River.[8]

Thomson Correctional Center was built between May 1999 and November 2001. Its completion cost $140 million, but the state omitted opening costs from the 2002 budget, and Governor George H. Ryan called for a delay to the opening to save $50 million per year in operating costs.[9] By 2009, the total cost to the state of Illinois had exceeded $170 million.[10] The minimum security unit has an annual budget of $7 million.[11] State budget constraints as well as labor union opposition to closing other state prisons prevented the maximum-security prison from opening.[11]

In 2008, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich proposed to close the state prison in Pontiac and to open the Thomson maximum-security unit instead. However, Blagojevich was subsequently arrested on December 9, 2008, and was removed from office. His replacement, Governor Pat Quinn, cancelled plans to close the Pontiac prison in March 2009, leaving Thomson unused.[11]

Transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees

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On December 15, 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama, via a Presidential memorandum, formally ordered the departments of Justice and Defense to arrange federal ownership of the prison, and prepare for transfer there of both federal prisoners and Guantanamo detainees.[12] According to previous press reports, the acquisition plan contemplated housing up to 100 inmates from the camp, in addition to other federal prisoners.[13] The Federal Bureau of Prisons would erect a more secure perimeter fence, so its perimeter security exceeded supermax standards.[14] The portion of the Thomson prison that would be used to house Guantanamo detainees would be operated by the Department of Defense, while the rest of the prison would be operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.[15][16][17]

CNN stated that before the decision was announced, many in the town had welcomed the idea of Guantanamo prisoners being housed in their town, in hopes it would revitalize the local economy and bring jobs.[11][13] However, funding for detainee transfers was blocked and the Obama Administration has no more plans to transfer Guantanamo detainees to Thomson.[18]

Bureau of Prison Purchase

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin’s office announced on October 2, 2012, that the Obama administration and Federal Bureau of Prisons would buy the Thomson Correctional Center from the state of Illinois for $165 million.[19][20][21] An administration official said the deal was to address overcrowding issues, and Thomson would not be used to house any Guantanamo detainees, which the official noted was prohibited by law. "The entire facility will house only [Bureau of Prison] inmates (up to 2,800) and be operated solely by BOP. Specifically, it will be used for administrative maximum security inmates and others who have proven difficult to manage in high-security institutions," said the official, who asked not to be named.[22] This statement was echoed in a letter from United States Attorney General Eric Holder. "I have committed that no Guantanamo detainees will be transferred to Thomson. As you know, any such transfer would violate express legal statutory prohibitions," Holder said in a letter to Representative Frank Wolf, who fought the proposal.[18]

Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois said the move would create 1,000 jobs in the area of Thomson.[18] Federal officials have said that building a new prison instead of buying Thomson would take years and cost about $400 million.[20] State officials estimated that annual operation of the facility would generate more than $122 million in operating expenditures, including salaries and $61 million in local business sales.[20]

The facility is scheduled to be in full operation by the end of 2016.[23]

References

  1. ^ http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/665417.pdf
  2. ^ Mounce, Kyle (2006-09-06). "Doors Open at Thomson Prison". WHBF-TV. Rock Island, Illinois. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
  3. ^ "Thomson Correctional Center". Springfield, Illinois: Illinois Department of Corrections. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
  4. ^ Gillam, Carey (2009-11-15). "Illinois prison eyed to house Guantanamo detainees (update 1)". Reuters. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
  5. ^ Becker, Tara. "Warden named at Thomson prison". The Quad-City Times. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  6. ^ "AUSP Thomson". www.bop.gov. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  7. ^ J, Jennifer; a (2016-05-18). "Lawmakers discuss Thomson Prison activation". KWQC-TV6. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  8. ^ https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thomson+Correctional+Center&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=44.928295,107.138672&ie=UTF8&hq=Thomson+Correctional+Center&hnear=Thomson+Correctional+Center,+Thomson,+IL+61285&z=15
  9. ^ "Thomson Prison Timeline". Quad-City Times. Davenport, Iowa. 2009-11-29. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
  10. ^ Erickson, Kurt (2009-12-15). "No timetable yet for prison deal". Quad-City Times. Davenport, Iowa. Retrieved 2009-12-16.
  11. ^ a b c d Barrett, Joe (December 19, 2009). "Guantanamo Detainees Welcome Here". Wall Street Journal. p. A6.
  12. ^ Presidential Memorandum--Closure of Dentention [sic on website] Facilities at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
  13. ^ a b Fantz, Ashley (2009-12-15). "Many in Illinois town hope locating Gitmo detainees there helps business". CNN.com. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
  14. ^ Mackey, Robert (15 December 2009). "From Guantánamo to Beyond 'Supermax'". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
  15. ^ Savage, Charlie (16 November 2009). "Illinois Site May Be Path to Closing Guantánamo". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
  16. ^ Lothian, Dan; Jill Dougherty (15 December 2009). "Illinois to get some Gitmo detainees, official says". CNN. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
  17. ^ Jackson, Henry C. (15 December 2009). "Ill. prison to get Gitmo detainees". AP. Archived from the original on December 16, 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-15. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ a b c Ingram, David (2 October 2012). "U.S. to buy prison once viewed as a Guantanamo successor". Reuters. The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  19. ^ Cratty, Carol (2 October 2012). "Obama administration proceeds with controversial prison purchase". CNN. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  20. ^ a b c Tareen, Sophia (2012-10-02). "Thomson Prison In Illinois To Be Purchased By Federal Government For $165 Million". Associated Press. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  21. ^ Straw, Joseph (2 October 2012). "Obama administration moves to purchase empty Illinois prison that was once at the center of Guantanamo military prison controversy". New York Daily News. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  22. ^ Kopan, Tal (2 October 2012). "Obama administration buying Illinois prison over Hill objections". The Politico. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  23. ^ "New Federal Supermax Prison Will Double Capacity for Extreme Solitary Confinement". Solitary Watch. 2015-01-15. Retrieved 2016-06-14.

41°58′20″N 90°6′30″W / 41.97222°N 90.10833°W / 41.97222; -90.10833

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