Pontiac Correctional Center is a maximum security prison in the small town of Pontiac, Illinois. It’s the oldest in the state – founded in 1871 – and has a reputation for being one of the most violent. There is a guard at Pontiac who some staff praise for being tough and having their backs. But other staff and people in the prison say she is known for abuse. In 2019, she was investigated by the Department of Corrections and State Police. Investigators had obtained 427 of the guard’s emails, revealing the conversations she’d had with other staff when it seemed like no one was looking. This episode is in collaboration with the podcast Motive, from WBEZ Chicago, hosted by Shannon Heffernan. Season 4 of Motive investigates the hidden world of big prisons in small towns. Episode transcript will be posted here as soon as it is available. Motive podcast: https://www.wbez.org/shows/motive/8c9f445c-4f62-46d6-a7f6-dc70a835e99b Criminal is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. If you haven't already, please review us on iTunes! It's an important way to help new listeners discover the show: iTunes.com/CriminalShow. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for The Accomplice. If you'd like to introduce friends or family members to podcasts, we created a How to Listen guide based on frequently asked questions. Artwork by Julienne Alexander: http://www.yssrs.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CriminalShow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThisIsCriminal/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/criminal_podcast/ The Accomplice: http://thisiscriminal.us13.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=25658e45f07309154fbf5f23f&id=a7d08cb6bd How To Listen Guide: http://thisiscriminal.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=25658e45f07309154fbf5f23f&id=286e48ce9f&e=08e90c50c7 ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daDFocCcN60