Retired corrections staff performed a service for the State of Illinois that many people wouldn't or couldn't do
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Dear Editor:
Some Corrections staff made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives while many others were stabbed or beaten. The turn over rate was very bad when I started at Pontiac in 1981. If you had three years in you were considered an old timer. The pay and benefits weren't that great back then either. My first two week pay check was only $25 dollars more then my two week unemployment check. Over the years the state started paying corrections staff better wages and providing more benefits. The state also promised us a pension with retirement benefits if we would just stick it out for the duration and not quit. Some that had been assaulted did quit, while others had the courage to return back to duty and years later retire. Illinois prisons back in the 60's through the mid 90's were very dangerous and still can be even today. Thanks to the Richard Speck video of 1996 and the committee hearings, prisons are somewhat safer.
While working we retirees paid our share into the retirement system and our share for benefits. We held up our end of the bargain. The governor, the lawmakers and the people of Illinois should do the same by meeting pension and benefit obligations.
Please don't forget the sacrifices we retirees made.
Steve Endres
Fairbury, IL.