CHICAGO (AP) — A new report by court-approved researchers paints a bleak picture of medical care in Illinois prisons. It describes treatment delays, haphazard follow-up care, chaotic record keeping and a litany of other problems.

The 405-page report was filed late Tuesday night in federal court in Chicago in a class-action suit against the Illinois Department of Corrections. The report was based on visits to Illinois prisons and the examination of thousands of records.

It concludes health care for inmates “has been unable to meet minimal constitutional standards.

But the agency issued a brief statement minutes later saying the report “uses a broad brush to paint an incomplete picture of the comprehensive medical system in place.” It said its authors shouldn’t have drawn such sweeping conclusion after visiting just eight of 25 Illinois prison facilities.

 

 

 

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