Thomson warden gives update on prison progress

FULTON – Thomson prison is set to be fully activated by the end of next year, and one of the warden’s top priorities is getting the employee roster up to 600.

Donald Hudson, warden of the federal maximum security prison in Thomson, gave a presentation to about 60 people Sunday at Fulton Presbyterian Church, 311 Ninth St., which covered topics including the prison layout, programs and work assignments for inmates, hiring qualifications, employee training and how to get hired.

So far, the prison has hired about 300 employees and is looking to hire another 300 within the next year.

“If we can hire as many people as we can locally, we can ensure job security here,” Hudson said.

Employees have to have a law enforcement background to be able to diffuse situations and be younger than 37 to be a hired because the mandatory retirement age is 57 after 20 years on the job, he said.

Once fully activated, Thomson would house 1,600 to 1,800 inmates and help reduce overcrowding at federal high-security facilities from 25 percent to 19 percent, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

The layout of the prison includes eight housing units, with 200 cells per unit and a satellite camp for minimum security inmates.

About 170 minimum-security inmates are currently on site.

“If we double bunked the prison, we could fit about 3,200 inmates, but we’re going to keep that number closer to 1,500 for better space and safety management,” he said.

The state finished building the former Thomson Correctional Center in 2001, but it sat empty for more than a decade because of state money troubles.

In 2012, the Bureau of Prisons bought the facility for $165 million.

Hudson was appointed the warden in 2014, it’s first and only warden to date.

“When I got here, I thought we could be up and running as soon as possible,” Hudson said.

But after looking closer, Hudson said there were some major improvements to make before full activation.

“It’s like a car that you never drive; it will deteriorate after a few years,” he said.

Construction upgrades began in 2015 including the dental area, armory and solar fields.

He also said the prison works as a miniature functioning society, where inmates hold jobs, continue education and plan for life outside of the prison walls.

“We have a utility and maintenance building, a grocery store, a hospital, school, jail, and worship areas,” he said.

As for the programs, the prison will help train inmates in job readiness, such as the food service industry.

The prison will also offer parenting resources for inmates.

“A lot of our inmates have kids and they don’t know how to be parents; it’s stuff we know that we take for granted,” Hudson said.

It’s part of an effort to reduce recidivism with inmates.

“We try to find their passion or hunger from the beginning and get them on the right track.”

More information

The next Thomson prison hiring event will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday at Sauk Valley Community College, 173 state Route 2, in Dixon.

Go to bop.gov or usajobs.gov for more information about Thomson prison or to apply for a job at the facility.