chloe
12-30-2009, 10:09 PM
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn reversed a secret policy Wednesday that allowed more than 1,700 inmates to be released from state prison early, some of whom have already been sent back for new offenses, including aggravated battery, weapons charges and assault.
The inmates were set free after an unannounced change in prison practice _ revealed in an Associated Press report earlier this month _ that Quinn now calls a "big mistake." He blamed his Corrections director, Michael Randle, but did not fire him.
The AP obtained and analyzed information that showed about 850 inmates were let out weeks early beginning in September. Corrections stopped requiring them to serve at least 61 days and gave them up to six months' good-conduct credit, or "meritorious good time," immediately upon entering the lockup, before they had a chance to display any kind of behavior.
That meant they spent as little as three weeks behind bars _ including county jail _ and averaged 16 days in the state pen under the plan called "MGT Push." They included violent offenders who committed such crimes as battery, weapons charges and aggravated drunken driving.
"This was a big mistake and I am very disappointed that this occurred. I think it was an error in judgment," Quinn said.
The Democrat said he did not know about the practice until he read the AP account, contradicting his statement two weeks earlier that he was aware of it and that it was well-publicized.
Randle took responsibility for not following the governor's orders to keep violent offenders out of any early release program.
In addition to reinstating the minimum-stay rule, Quinn said he would require prosecutors be told 14 days in advance of an inmate's release, appoint a public safety officer to determine good-time eligibility, and work with the General Assembly to revamp the meritorious good time system.
The AP searched Corrections records and found at least 18 of the parolees were back behind bars. Several ran immediately into trouble after release, according to internal Corrections documents obtained Wednesday by the AP.
They include:
_ Derrick King, 48, who was released Oct. 20 after serving about a year in Cook County Jail and 14 days at Stateville of a three-year sentence for robbery. The day after his release, he was arrested for assault, then returned to prison.
_ Alfred Wooten, 40, who spent 13 days in Stateville prison before his release Oct. 15 from a one-year sentence for retail theft. Chicago police arrested him Nov. 17 for criminal trespass, then arrested him again Dec. 2 for domestic battery. His parole was then revoked.
_ Quince Campbell, 25, who was sentenced to three years in prison for weapons violations. He was in Cook County Jail for about a year, released from Stateville Sept. 17 after 13 days, and arrested again Nov. 4 for having a .22 caliber revolver and ammunition.
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=157&sid=9026767
The inmates were set free after an unannounced change in prison practice _ revealed in an Associated Press report earlier this month _ that Quinn now calls a "big mistake." He blamed his Corrections director, Michael Randle, but did not fire him.
The AP obtained and analyzed information that showed about 850 inmates were let out weeks early beginning in September. Corrections stopped requiring them to serve at least 61 days and gave them up to six months' good-conduct credit, or "meritorious good time," immediately upon entering the lockup, before they had a chance to display any kind of behavior.
That meant they spent as little as three weeks behind bars _ including county jail _ and averaged 16 days in the state pen under the plan called "MGT Push." They included violent offenders who committed such crimes as battery, weapons charges and aggravated drunken driving.
"This was a big mistake and I am very disappointed that this occurred. I think it was an error in judgment," Quinn said.
The Democrat said he did not know about the practice until he read the AP account, contradicting his statement two weeks earlier that he was aware of it and that it was well-publicized.
Randle took responsibility for not following the governor's orders to keep violent offenders out of any early release program.
In addition to reinstating the minimum-stay rule, Quinn said he would require prosecutors be told 14 days in advance of an inmate's release, appoint a public safety officer to determine good-time eligibility, and work with the General Assembly to revamp the meritorious good time system.
The AP searched Corrections records and found at least 18 of the parolees were back behind bars. Several ran immediately into trouble after release, according to internal Corrections documents obtained Wednesday by the AP.
They include:
_ Derrick King, 48, who was released Oct. 20 after serving about a year in Cook County Jail and 14 days at Stateville of a three-year sentence for robbery. The day after his release, he was arrested for assault, then returned to prison.
_ Alfred Wooten, 40, who spent 13 days in Stateville prison before his release Oct. 15 from a one-year sentence for retail theft. Chicago police arrested him Nov. 17 for criminal trespass, then arrested him again Dec. 2 for domestic battery. His parole was then revoked.
_ Quince Campbell, 25, who was sentenced to three years in prison for weapons violations. He was in Cook County Jail for about a year, released from Stateville Sept. 17 after 13 days, and arrested again Nov. 4 for having a .22 caliber revolver and ammunition.
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=157&sid=9026767