Pontiac Correctional Center: Inmate Survey Results from JHA s Monitoring Visit Conducted March 13 th 2018 Pontiac Correctional Center is a maximum-security prison that housed 947 adult male inmates on the day of JHA s monitoring visit. JHA collected 592 surveys from inmates (62.5% of the population) during our monitoring visit of this prison. Inmate responses to survey questions are reported below. Responses to Inmate Demographic Questions: Race Age Black 304 51% Under 26 71 12% White 140 24% 26-35 182 31% Hispanic 85 14% 36-45 158 27% Other 40 7% 46-55 96 16% No response 23 4% Over 55 76 13% Total 592 100% No response 9 2% Total 592 100% What County are you from? Primary assignment Cook County 348 59 Work 111 19% Not Cook County 222 38 School 4 1% No response 22 4% Unassigned 387 65% Total 592 100% Other 54 9% No response 36 6% Total 592 100%
Responses to Inmate Survey Questions: Q1: I feel safe Q2: Most staff treat inmates with respect Strongly Agree 22 4% Strongly Agree 16 3% Agree 63 11% Agree 62 10% Neutral 114 19% Neutral 97 16% Disagree 129 22% Disagree 164 28% Strongly Disagree 250 42% Strongly Disagree 247 42% No Response 14 2% No Response 6 1% Q3: Most inmates treat other inmates with respect Q4: Mental Health Treatment is available Strongly Agree 28 5% Strongly Agree 47 8% Agree 97 16% Agree 141 24% Neutral 192 32% Neutral 168 28% Disagree 135 23% Disagree 111 19% Strongly Disagree 132 22% Strongly Disagree 108 18% No Response 8 1% No Response 17 3% Q5: Most staff follow rules Q6: My Correctional Counselor is effective Strongly Agree 14 2% Strongly Agree 31 5% Agree 50 8% Agree 77 13% Neutral 81 14% Neutral 119 20% Disagree 151 26% Disagree 133 22% Strongly Disagree 291 49% Strongly Disagree 226 38% No Response 5 1% No Response 6 1% Q7: I am satisfied with medical services Q8: I avoid health care to avoid $5 co-pay Strongly Agree 12 2% Strongly Agree 234 40% Agree 29 5% Agree 115 19% Neutral 79 13% Neutral 75 13% Disagree 141 24% Disagree 71 12% Strongly Disagree 326 55% Strongly Disagree 89 15% No Response 5 1% No Response 8 1%
Q9: The disciplinary process is fair Q10: This facility is safe for inmates Strongly Agree 13 2% Strongly Agree 18 3% Agree 16 3% Agree 61 10% Neutral 54 9% Neutral 113 19% Disagree 84 14% Disagree 124 21% Strongly Disagree 418 71% Strongly Disagree 265 45% No Response 7 1% No Response 11 2% Q11: There is at least one staff member who I could ask for help Q12: The grievance process is effective Strongly Agree 103 17% Strongly Agree 15 3% Agree 185 31% Agree 20 3% Neutral 95 16% Neutral 70 12% Disagree 80 14% Disagree 98 17% Strongly Disagree 121 20% Strongly Disagree 384 65% No Response 8 1% No Response 5 1% Q13: I would feel comfortable filing a grievance Q14: This facility is better now than last year Strongly Agree 33 6% Strongly Agree 22 4% Agree 64 11% Agree 19 3% Neutral 90 15% Neutral 104 18% Disagree 138 23% Disagree 113 19% Strongly Disagree 263 44% Strongly Disagree 319 54% No Response 4 1% No Response 15 3% Q15: Contraband from outside the facility often gets inside Q16: There is frequent gang activity here Strongly Agree 36 6% Strongly Agree 84 14% Agree 47 8% Agree 91 15% Neutral 125 21% Neutral 131 22% Disagree 133 22% Disagree 107 18% Strongly Disagree 212 36% Strongly Disagree 141 24% No Response 39 7% No Response 38 6%
Q17: Mail is timely Q18: Temperature is comfortable Strongly Agree 26 4% Strongly Agree 16 3% Agree 103 17% Agree 65 11% Neutral 109 18% Neutral 131 22% Disagree 121 20% Disagree 164 28% Strongly Disagree 223 38% Strongly Disagree 207 35% No Response 10 2% No Response 9 2% Q19: Posted schedules are accurate Q20: Ventilation is adequate Strongly Agree 17 3% Strongly Agree 10 2% Agree 67 11% Agree 21 4% Neutral 151 26% Neutral 63 11% Disagree 150 25% Disagree 130 22% Strongly Disagree 173 29% Strongly Disagree 352 59% No Response 34 6% No Response 16 3% Q21: When something is broken it is fixed in a timely manner Q22: I am satisfied with food from dietary Strongly Agree 9 2% Strongly Agree 33 6% Agree 8 1% Agree 78 13% Neutral 17 3% Neutral 146 25% Disagree 69 12% Disagree 106 18% Strongly Disagree 483 82% Strongly Disagree 208 35% No Response 6 1% No Response 21 4% Q23: Clothing provided by state is adequate Q24: I have adequate access to showers Strongly Agree 21 4% Strongly Agree 42 7% Agree 79 13% Agree 181 31% Neutral 104 18% Neutral 115 19% Disagree 152 26% Disagree 98 17% Strongly Disagree 225 38% Strongly Disagree 145 24% No Response 11 2% No Response 11 2%
Q25: Enough state hygiene items are Q26: There is enough rec provided Strongly Agree 12 2% Strongly Agree 22 4% Agree 21 4% Agree 55 9% Neutral 50 8% Neutral 95 16% Disagree 112 19% Disagree 139 23% Strongly Disagree 383 65% Strongly Disagree 268 45% No Response 14 2% No Response 13 2% Q27: I have adequate access to law library Q28: I have enough access to phones Strongly Agree 25 4% Strongly Agree 52 9% Agree 56 9% Agree 108 18% Neutral 102 17% Neutral 90 15% Disagree 125 21% Disagree 59 10% Strongly Disagree 264 45% Strongly Disagree 271 46% No Response 20 3% No Response 12 2% Q29: Helpful reentry info is provided by staff Q30: Education programming is adequate Strongly Agree 5 1% Strongly Agree 4 1% Agree 13 2% Agree 4 1% Neutral 107 18% Neutral 40 7% Disagree 116 20% Disagree 64 11% Strongly Disagree 320 54% Strongly Disagree 464 78% No Response 31 5% No Response 16 3% Q31: Rehabilitative programming is adequate Strongly Agree 6 1% Agree 12 2% Neutral 48 8% Disagree 59 10% Strongly Disagree 445 75% No Response 22 4% Total 592 100% Not all percentages reported for individual survey items add up to 100% due to percentages being rounded to whole number.
Comparison Chart: Average Inmate Response to Survey Items, Pontiac Compared to Other IDOC Prisons JHA Visited During 2018 Other IDOC facilities surveyed include the following prisons: Centralia, Danville, Dixon, Jacksonville, Kewanee, Lawrence, Logan, Menard, Menard MSU, Murphysboro, Pontiac MSU, Robinson, Shawnee, Stateville, and Vienna.
Methodology: For the comparison chart, average inmate survey responses were calculated by converting the survey response options Strongly Disagree through Strongly Agree to a numerical value of -2 through 2 for each survey question, so that Strongly Disagree equals -2, Disagree equals -1, and so on, and then an average was calculated based on the aggregate responses to each survey item, or question after applying filter: prison x and all prisons other than prison x. The bars indicate the direction from, and the extent to which the average inmate response to each survey item deviates from neutral, or 0 as a numerical value for the prison highlighted in this summary of results versus all other prisons included in the sample. When JHA conducted a monitoring visit of a prison, paper copies of the Inmate Survey were mailed to the prison prior to JHA s visit and distributed by IDOC staff. Enough surveys were provided so that every inmate had an opportunity to complete a survey if they elected to do so. Each survey was accompanied by an information sheet, explaining to the inmate that participation was voluntary and completed surveys would be held in confidence by JHA staff. The information sheet was constructed based on the Federal Bureau of Prisons guidelines for anonymous surveys for prisoners. On the day of the monitoring visit, completed surveys were collected from the inmates who volunteered to complete a survey by JHA staff.