SPRINGFIELD -- Inmates in at least one state prison are being forced to wear the same used underwear for several days in a row because of a clothing shortage.

The situation, says a prison watchdog group, is not only icky, but could potentially lead to illness. And it isn't limited to just one facility.

In a recent report, the John Howard Association says a visit to the Taylorville Correctional Center found inmates wearing dirty, threadbare clothes that are only being washed twice a week.

Since the minimum-security prison only issues two pairs of boxer shorts to inmates, that means they must wear them for at least half of the week. Or, the group suggests, some inmates could decide to forgo wearing underwear altogether.

"The practice of administering used underwear that inmates must wear multiple days without washing raises serious hygiene concerns," the report notes. "DOC must find a way to provide sufficient clothing for inmates."

John Maki, director of the John Howard Association, said he believes the problem extends to other prisons, which are operating with more inmates than they were built to hold.

"I think this is a problem system wide," Maki said.