Watchdog Group: Prison Inmates Rarely Get To Change Underwear
TAYLORVILLE, Ill. (CBS) -- A prison watchdog group finds that inmate tightie-whities are not so white these days.
As WBBM Newsradio 780's Bernie Tafoya reports, the John Howard Association says inmates at the Taylorville Correctional Center downstate are being forced to wear the same underwear day after day after day due to a clothing shortage.
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The group says that could cause health and hygiene problems.
Association representatives recently visited the prison near Springfield, and found that inmates' clothing is washed twice a week, but that each inmate is only issued two pairs of underwear.
Similar rationing is also believed to go on at other state prisons.
A spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Corrections says the state is doing its best in tough economic times, given that there is a multibillion-dollar budget deficit.
"This issue is like many facing the state where budget constraints prevent us from being able to do mass uniform replacement," Solano told the Associated Press.
At one time, inmates were given new sets of clothes every six months, but that is no longer the case.
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