An Associated Press article carried in this morning's Northwest Herald, Page 5A, reveals a "secret" change in policy in the Illinois prison system. According to the Northwest Herald, Gov. "Quinn suspended the program Sunday after seeing the AP report."
Perhaps the Illinois State Police or the U. S. Department of Justice should open an investigation into what laws were broken and who implemented such a "secret" change.
The article gives examples of criminals released: Jorge Bogas gets out after only 13 days in prison, following his conviction for driving the wrong way on I-57 and causing a serious-injury accident while DUI; James Walker-Bey for a probation violation (carrying a .25 cal. pistol) - he was sentenced to one year but served only 14 days in state prison.
DuPage County State's Attorney Joseph Birkett expressed outrage that 22 people convicted by his office have been released early since September.
An open question to the Office of the McHenry County State's Attorney:
How many people convicted in McHenry County courts have been released significantly early (not just for good-conduct credits)? With examples, please.
The following message was emailed to Sen. Althoff and Reps. Franks and Tryon:
"Please read the article on Page 5A of the Northwest Herald about early releases from state prisons.
"Heads should roll in the Illinois prison system. These releases outrage me. Administrators at the Illinois prison system, who were responsible for these releases and what AP called a 'secret' change in policy, should be fired and prosecuted. Cancellation of the change is not enough."
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2 comments:
This was a little known secret, that everyone knew. Illinois can't pay for its jails because they have filled them with MANDATORY sentence prisoners.
The message is simple, if you want to have MANDATORY sentences then tax everyone appropriately to pay for it.
Of course, I would argue that as soon as the public becomes aware that it has to pay for MANDATORY SENTENCE laws, they will, of course promptly end.
A friend in Florida works for a county jail that holds 3000 prisoners. They charge each prison a daily fee; I've forgotten whether he told me $20 or $40.
Any money deposited into the prisoner's commissary account is first used to pay off his lodging debt. He can buy candy bars with what is left over.
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