May 1, 2020
Dear editor;
This letter is an attempt to bring attention the plight of a group of unfortunate American citizens which includes the elderly, the disabled, the handicapped, the mentally ill, and veterans.
This group is almost 100% dependent on the State government of Illinois for daily basic needs, such as food, health care, hygiene, and cleaning.
I am one of these American citizens and almost completely deaf.
These citizens are being unnecessarily exposed to a potentially-deadly virus, COVID-19.
As of April 16, 146 of these citizens tested positive for the virus and two died, all while under the care of the State. They are inmates in the Illinois Department of Corrections (DOC). I am one of these inmates. My number is Y36093. Since February 18, the inmates have been in and out of quarantine.
We are locked up together, 100 men to a dorm with a maximum capacity of 80 persons, as per policies of the Illinois DOC.
The inmates sleep in bunk beds three feet apart. We use the same showers, toilets, sinks, and six telephones. We have no choice.
Socially distancing is an impossibility.
We eat food prepared by inmates, who, until April 2 did not wear gloves or masks. These inmates do not possess food handlers’ certificates required by the State.
We are supposedly cared for by a health-care system incapable of combating COVID-19. The National Guard has its mobile hospital set up at Statesville outside of Joliet.
Here in Jacksonville, the powers that be have emptied a housing until that holds 200 inmates to use as a quarantine area. There is no trained medical staff.
As of April 2, the officers, guards, finally began wearing masks and gloves. They are the cause of the infection.
The inmates have not received masks or gloves. We are told there are not enough for inmates; not enough for American citizens, wholly dependent on the State. We are told there is not enough toilet paper, so toilet paper is rationed. Almost everyone in this facility is a non-violent offender with little time left on our sentences and forcibly exposed to the virus.
Matthew Redmon, Jacksonville Correctional