"I am very impressed with the staff at the Department of Corrections," Gov. Bruce Rauner said. | Contributed photo
"I am very impressed with the staff at the Department of Corrections," Gov. Bruce Rauner said. | Contributed photo
Gov. Bruce Rauner registered a good impression of Illinois’ correctional system this week as he visited the Department of Corrections (DOC) headquarters, meeting with staff at the Springfield facility and hearing updates on safety and efficiency.
"I am very impressed with the staff at the Department of Corrections," Rauner said. "They've been diligent over the past year making efforts to enhance staff training, improve offender outcomes and move toward technology-based training systems. These efforts will strengthen the department as a whole and ultimately save taxpayers money."
In addition to streamlining hiring procedures in hopes of drawing highly qualified applicants — the department’s Employee Resource Group raised its testing standards for trainees, for example — the DOC is modernizing top to bottom, from updating its timekeeping system to establishing innovative staff morale support in the form of a new “TEAMS” initiative that encourages employees to participate in staff development activities.
Rauner also caught up on what the DOC calls its Investigations and Intelligence Unit, designed to obliterate behind-the-scenes gang activity in prisons. The unit collaborates with law enforcement agencies statewide, checking on parole compliance and thwarting crime at the local level. Additionally, the intelligence team provides one central resource to register and house complaints and allegations for staff.
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