PRISONS OFFER BIG BOOST TO SOUTHERN ILLINOIS WORKFORCE

At one time -- and not that long ago -- communities shunned the idea of a prison in their back yard.

That has changed. Job-hungry communities everywhere have jumped into races for proposed new prisons that promise expanded employment and a bonanza of state spending on everything from sewage treatment to power and water.

Now prisons are viewed as a positive thing for a number of Southern Illinois communities, where more than a half-dozen operating prison facilities provide a big boost to employment figures. Prisons in the Southern Illinois area provide more than 4,000 jobs, headed by the 1,100 jobs at Menard Prison and Psych unit at Chester.

Look at some figures:

* More than 800 prison employees work in Johnson County, at Vienna (450) and Shawnee (425) correctional facilities.

* Over 425 employees at Tamms Correctional facility.

* More than 425 each at the Big Muddy facility and Pinckneyville prison.

* The Marion Federal Prison -- which replaced Alcatraz -- and a private prison at Ullin in Pulaski County account for more than 500 combined jobs.

* That all adds up to 4,500 jobs.

Prison towns and communities often see auto and home sales increase. Prison employees take home annual salaries of $30,000 to $35,000.

Menard Prison is fourth on the list of largest employers in Southern Illinois, which was compiled recently. Assisting in compiling the numbers were the Illinois Department of Employment Security office at Marion and regional planning and development commissions throughout the area.

But prisons aren't the only source of jobs.

Illinois broke the 6 million employment mark as unemployment dropped to its lowest level in the state over the past two decades.

The Southern Illinois employer list is headed by an educational facility Southern Illinois University-Carbondale at more than 5,300.

The SIU system, with locations in Edwardsville, Springfield and Alton, has a total of 34,000 students, with more than 23,000 at the Carbondale campus.

The 5,397 employment total at Carbondale, includes 1,338 faculty, l835 administrative and 2,476 civil service workers. The remaining total is made up of part-time workers, student workers and graduate assistants.

One of Southern Illinois' largest employers -- second on the list -- is also mentioned on the Southeast Missourian's "Top 60." Gilster-Mary Lee Corp., headquartered at Chester, is third on the Southern Illinois list with more than 3,200 employees -- about 1,000 in Missouri where the company has manufacturing facilities at Perryville and McBride, manufacturing packaged cake mixes, stuffing mixes, hot cocoa drink mix and popcorn.

Third on the list is Maytag Corp. of Herrin, which employs more than 1,350 workers following expansion over the past year. The Herrin plant employed about 800 a year ago.

Fifth on the list, behind Menard Prison, is the Southern Illinois Riverboat Casino, with about 800 workers.

Also among the top 10 are Bombardier Boats, Benton, 770; and Choate Mental Health Center at Anna, 640.

TOP EMPLOYERS IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

1. Southern Illinois University-Carvondale, at 5,397.

2. Gilster-Mary Lee Corp., at Chester, 3,299.

3. Maytag Corp., Herrin, 1,350.

4. Menard Correctional Center and Psych Unit, Chester, 1,100.

5. Southern Illinois Riverboat Casino, Metropolis, 800.

6. Memorial Hospital at Carbondale, 800.

7. Bombardier Boat, Benton, 770.

8. Choate Mental Health Center, Anna, 640.

9. Veterans Administration Hospital, Marion, 540.

10. UNI Distribution, Pinckneyville, 590.

Others: Spartan Light MNetal Products, Sparta, 575; John A. Logan College, 575; ADL Construction, Olmsted Dam, 500; Pepsi Cola plant, Marion; GTE North, Marion, 400; and Allied-Signal, Metropolis, 350.