YESTERDAY ABOUT THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF PEOPLE INCARCERATED BEHIND THE WALLS OF PONTIAC CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, 99 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CHICAGO.

THE CONDITIONS ARE HARD ENOUGH AND ADVOCATES ARE CALLING FOR THE CLOSURE, BUT NEIGHBORS AROUND THE PRISON SAY IT HAS A PURPOSE IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

PONTIAC, ILLINOIS.

POPULATION, ALMOST 11,800.

HOME TO ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S EARLY DAYS, ROUTE 66, AND STONE 'S COFFEEHOUSE.

>> I JUST RETIRED AND I LOVE PONTIAC.

I LOVE THE TOWN.

I LOVE THE PEOPLE AND THE HISTORY.

>> THE TOWN IS ALSO HOME TO ONE OF ONLY THREE MAXIMUM-SECURITY ILLINOIS STATE PRISONS.

JUST OUTSIDE THIS DOOR, AND NEIGHBORHOOD SINGLE-FAMILY HOME AND A PLAYGROUND.

OWNER SCOTT CRANFORD RETIRED FROM THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS BEFORE SETTLING HERE.

>> I WORK HERE.

I DRIVE BY IT.

MY WIFE GOES TO THE PRISON.

IT HAS A GREAT WALKING PATH.

I COACH JUNIOR FOOTBALL OUT THERE.

WE PRACTICED RIGHT NEXT TO THE PRISON.

>> IT HAS OVER 540 EMPLOYEES.

THEY ARE OUR NEIGHBORS.

>> PONTIAC MAYOR SAYS THAT THE PRISON IS ALSO PART OF THE TOWN ECONOMY.

>> THEY HAVE TO PAY THE BILLS, TOO.

WE HAVE OVER 500 PEOPLE WORKING HERE.

THOSE PEOPLE SPENDING MONEY HERE IS TREMENDOUS.

>> BUT ADVOCATES SAY THAT NONE OF THAT IS REASON ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN A PRISON THAT IS IN SUCH BAD SHAPE BOTH PHYSICALLY AND AS AN INSTITUTION.

>> YOU CANNOT SEE PRISONS OPEN AS A SOURCE OF ECONOMIC VITALITY IN THE COMMUNITY.

PRISONS SHOULD NOT DRIVE OUR COMMUNITY.

THEY HAVE A SPECIFIC PURPOSE AND THEY ARE NOT EVEN LIVING UP TO THAT PURPOSE.

IT COSTS US HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS PER YEAR.

>> JENNIFER WALLACE AT THE JOHN HOWARD ASSOCIATION WHICH ADVOCATES FOR THE INCARCERATED SAYS THAT A COMBINATION OF POOR CONDITIONS INSIDE THE PRISON ARE NOT REASON ENOUGH TO CLOSE IT.

>> WHILE THERE IS A GOAL TO REHABILITATE, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION.

>> SOME HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE PRISON'S DWINDLING POPULATION, EXPRESSING CONCERN AFTER THE FACILITY WAS SHUT DOWN LAST YEAR.

FORMER DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS OFFICER ROB JEFFRIES HAS REPEATEDLY SAID THE CLOSURE IS NOT ON THE TABLE.

>> AT THAT TIME I SAID THAT I WAS NOT CLOSING THE FACILITY.

I EMPHATICALLY TOLD THEM I WAS NOT CLOSING THE FACILITY.

OUR POPULATION HAD REDUCED, AND I WANTED TO CONSOLIDATE OUR RESOURCES.

>> BUT JEFFRIES ACKNOWLEDGES THAT SOME OF THESE FACILITIES ARE MORE THAN 100 YEARS OLD AND FACING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND OTHER ISSUES.

>> WE ARE DOWN ABOUT 27,000 COMPARED TO ABOUT 39,000.

WHILE REDUCING OUR FOOTPRINT WE CAN ALSO CONSOLIDATE.

>> WE DO NOT NEED AS MANY PRISONS AS WE HAVE OPEN.

IT IS TIME TO SET PRISONS DOWN.

>> BUT SCOTT CRANFORD ARGUES THAT THE PRISON IS SERVING A PURPOSE BEYOND JUST BEING AN ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR THE CITY.

>> HE WORKS VERY HARD FOR ME.

HE HAS A KEY TO MY BUSINESS.

IF YOU WOULD HAVE ASKED ME AT 15 YEARS AGO, I WOULD HAVE SAID HEY, AIN'T NO WAY.

>> IN TESTIMONY BEFORE STATE LAWMAKERS, THE ASSOCIATION POINTS OUT THAT DEFERRED MAINTENANCE FOR THESE FACILITIES STATEWIDE IS UP $2.5 MILLION, MEANING THAT IT HAS LED OTHER STATE AGENCIES IN DEFERRED MAINTENANCE COSTS FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS.

THEY ALSO POINT TO THE MASTER FACILITIES PLAN.

IN 2022, THE AGENCY