Long Vacant Prison Sees Population Grow

Officials in a northwestern Illinois community say a federal prison's hiring bump is coinciding with increased interest from real estate developers who want to know about available land. Thomson Village President Vicky Trager says inquiries about development are up. She says there's also more traffic from new workers and their families. Trager says it's been a smooth process. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons says there are 237 positions filled at Thomson Correctional Center. Another 13 positions have been selected and are expected to start work within a few months. There are just over 100 minimum security inmates at the prison. Illinois finished building the facility in 2001 but never fully opened it because of budgetary constraints. The federal government bought it for $165 million in 2012.