As one of the largest labor unions and the state continue arbitration over the slated closures of prisons and youth detention centers across the state, the deadline for them to be shuttered is here.

Today (Friday) was supposed to be the day by which the Tamms Prison, Dwight Correctional Center, juvenile justice centers in Joliet and Murphysboro and three adult transition centers were to be closed, but because of a lawsuit, the closures, and the transfer of prisoners, have been stalled.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees took their case to court arguing closing facilities would leave guards facing “injury or death.”

Gov. Pat Quinn, who pushed for the closures, says the facilities are nowhere near full and the state would save money by closing them. He says the facility in Murphysboro currently has no prisoners. “We’re not gonna have a situation in Illinois where the taxpayers are paying 50 public workers to do nothing, look at each other,” Quinn said. He points out that no employees of the facilities would lose jobs as they would be transferred elsewhere.

It’s unclear when prison transfers would begin again and closures would proceed.

(Posted 8-31-2012 at 9:55, Illinois Radio Network)