Stateville Correctional Center

Stateville Correctional Center in Lockport, Illinois, about 60 miles southwest of Chicago, is the bestknown, most visible, and most violent prison in the state. During its 80-year history, it has housed such infamous criminals as Nathan Leopold, Richard Loeb, and Richard Speck, was the execution site of John Gacy, and has provided the backdrop for many movies scenes, including Weeds, Bad Boys, and Natural Born Killers. The imposing limestone Level 1 (or maximum security) facility takes up 26 walled acres in the middle of well-manicured grounds. Stateville's notoriety stretches beyond Illinois because of its unusual architectural design. “The Ville,” as prisoners call it, or “Statesville,” as outsiders tend to mispronounce it, is often confused with the much older but smaller Joliet maximumsecurity facility 5 miles away on the west side of the city of Joliet.

Stateville also has a Level 7 (or minimum security) “honor farm” about 1 mile from the main structure. Although the unwalled farm no longer produces agricultural products, it was a primary source of prison food in Stateville's early years, making the institution nearly self-sufficient. According to Stateville historians, Illinois Governor Dan Walker eliminated the agricultural, dairy, and pig-raising activities after wondering why the prison should be teaching farming when most of the prisoners came from the inner city of Chicago. Later, Walker was himself indicted for fraud and served time in federal prison. In the recent past, the farm offered programs such as auto body repair and education, but currently it houses low-security inmate workers for the main institution.

The combined daily population of the Level 1 and Level 7 units is about 2,596. The maximum-security unit, with a rated housing capacity of 1,506, houses about 2,200, with the remainder in the level 7 honor farm. In 2004, a new reception and classification center opened adjacent to the main compound, replacing Joliet.