Asking for Your Help

Honestly - I’m not sure where to start this letter. So - I guess I will start with my plea.

Please contact your state representatives to show your support for our correctional officers, incarcerated persons, and their families.

As I sit here, I’m not sure how best to help. But maybe just sharing what I know will at least raise awareness.

If you weren’t aware, the Illinois correctional facilities have been under assault from an ever-changing drug problem that is actively putting everyone in harm’s way who visits, works, or lives in a correctional facility. A few months ago, I became aware of the situation on social media - from state employee friends and independent journalist, Sarah Boyles.

I could hardly believe it. In fact, when I brought up the topic to my husband, even he questioned its veracity. He hadn’t heard about it at all either.

By the end of the day, I had public but not verified reports of over six exposure events from private sources (family members, social media, union reports) from all over the southern part of the state. I also had a Change.org petition for people to sign and follow for more information.

Now, as a good progressive, I had trouble with this petition. I as a principal didn’t want to advocate for stopping communication for our incarcerated citizens. However as reported in the September 2024 report from AFSCME 31, mail is the primary entry point for these illegal substances.

At first, I was confused. I knew for a fact that all mail is scanned before entry into any public building. It’s been that way for years, since 9/11. How are they missing this contraband?

Because when people are desperate for money or relief from pain or mental health conditions, they are very creative. Where once drugs came enclosed in items, now the drugs are being absorbed into the paper inside the envelopes.

Still, even mail at the prison is opened. Letters and other documents, including a cutting of an obituary have been found with strange smells, coatings, or residue - which was later found to be an intoxicating substance or bug spray - the adhesive that bonds it to the paper.

But contaminants still get through - either in regular mail by accident or through mail that the facility isn’t allowed to open, like items labeled legal correspondence. Once inside, the paper can be sold or used immediately by inhaling the smoke it produces when burnt.

And if you are old enough to remember Illinois before the indoor smoking bans, you remember how smoke hangs in the air. It’s not just the person setting it alight. Anyone in that ventilation system will be affected.

Our correction staff. Those incarcerated, either justly or unjustly. Our front-line EMS responders. Family members and officials visiting the facilities. All those people are at risk every day for absorbing these chemicals once airborne.

I don’t know what the solution is. But I do know that our fellow citizens inside correctional facilities are in danger, and there hasn’t been enough pressure for the state to do anything more.

I unfortunately understand why. Illinois correctional facilities are low on the list of priorities when weighed against education, human services, and elections. Not to mention the question of the constitutionality of stopping physical mail to the facilities. I don’t think there could be a worse time for a Democratic state to deny rights to anyone, regardless of the reason, two weeks before a presidential election.

What have other states done? Correctly, or incorrectly, states like Florida have moved to ban physical mail. From the small amount of research I’ve done, they use a third-party vendor that charges per page for mail to be scanned.

Arguments can be made, with evidence, the importance of physical mail, of letters and photos to touch, to those who are incarcerated. Even yesterday, I received an email from a social action agency condemning the legislation proposed by southern Illinois legislators to stop the mail. That group hadn’t seen the report from AFSCME. They’re going to get back to me.

Because it is a very difficult situation.

I hope in the future, the administration can find ways to find a more equitable and kind policy. But today, I’m siding to protect the health of everyone inside an Illinois correctional facility, willingly or not.

And it’s not because I’m “siding with the union,” or want to cause more problems for those involved. It’s because I’ve had frontline workers in my family. I’ve felt that fear when they leave the house, wondering if it is going to be a quiet night or if I’ll have a call from the hospital.

Since I first started this petition, we’ve gained 200 signatures. Mostly from family members of correctional officers and staff. There are so many dangers already in our facilities - can’t we remove one source to figure out a better solution?

If I’ve convinced you to take action - you can join me tomorrow at the Our Brother’s Keeper Rally in Alto Pass, Illinois at 1 pm. We’re coming together to show support for these employees and everyone affected by this situation. If you can’t come down - please call or email your state representative and senator to let them know you care about this issue, and want to stop the exposure of IDOC employees to dangerous chemicals.

I couldn’t sit by any longer. I hope you can’t either.

J