Joseph J. Cushman

Illinois Department of Corrections — Springfield, IL

Felonious

End of Watch October 24, 1982

Age 52

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

The Vigil Panel 126 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 31

Incident

Corrections Employee Joseph Cushman was bludgeoned to death by an inmate making an escape from the Menard Correctional Center. Corrections Employee Cushman, who was an agricultural worker at the center, was found murdered after an inmate had stolen his pickup truck to make his escape. The inmate, who had been serving a 25-to-45-year sentence for murder at the time of the attack, was captured a few weeks later, convicted, and sentenced to life. He hanged himself in his cell on December 12, 1988. Corrections Employee Cushman had served with the Illinois Department of Corrections for 19 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife of 32 years, a daughter, and four sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-4BC0FBC3
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Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Corrections Employee Cushman gave the Illinois Department of Corrections 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Illinois. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Corrections Employee Cushman.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Illinois Department of Corrections

Location Springfield, IL

Platform Identity illicorr.sangamon.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 24, 1982

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

Age 52

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Blunt object

Offender Committed suicide

Corrections Employee Joseph J. Cushman is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Illinois Department of Corrections, 27 of 32 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 84.4% of this agency's fallen.

Illinois Department of Corrections

of 32 officers

84.4% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious