Dieterich, IL… State Representative Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) is calling on the Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) Latoya Hughes, to step down. In October of 2024, Rep. Niemerg toured the Robinson and Lawrenceville Correctional facilities in his district to address the dangerous working conditions of prison guards and staff surrounding illegal drugs in the facilities and attacks on correctional officers and staff.
“She’s been terrible,” said Niemerg. “We keep having Department of Corrections employees put in the hospital because of incompetent management and bad policies that favor the inmates over the safety and security of the corrections officers and employees.”
Niemerg points out that correctional employees staged pickets at Illinois prisons last October to push for safer working conditions. Illegal drug shipments are reported to be delivered by visitors to prisons to acquaintances and family members who are in confinement. Other reports suggest the use of mail to smuggle controlled substances.
“I have been contacted by current and retired DOC employees for nearly a year asking for help and finding a fix for these problems. I offered some solutions to the mail process to stop the drugs from getting inside our prisons,” added Niemerg. “The bottom line is Governor Pritzker’s hand-picked director is responsible for the proper administration of the Department of Corrections, and the assaults and drug smuggling are still unsolved problems. Ms. Hughes must go!”
If anyone has any information they would like to share with Rep. Niemerg on this issue, please contact him at his district office at 217-813-6036 or visit RepNiemerg.com.
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