IDOC Inmate Early Release & Agency Reform (Page Updated Jan 21, 2012)
The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) is overflowing with prisoners and can no longer afford to house the many non-violent offenders needlessly imprisoned in Illinois. Locking people up and throwing away the key is no longer the answer to crime. It burdens the public with expense, and non-violent offenders are not rehabilitated. Prison has been found to be the necessity only for violent, repeat offenders who require incarceration in the interests of public safety.
Severe budget shortfalls and forced IDOC staff reductions are making IDOC want to reduce Illinois inmate populations to manageable levels. IDOC Director, Michael Randle, in conjunction with the directives of Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn was moving IDOC in a new direction in reforming IDOC and establishing policies to encourage the “early release” of low-status offenders. Randle was replaced with Gladyse Taylor, by Quinn in September 2010, and Quinn announced he will no longer use Early Release programs to reduce the IDOC population. Other states are beginning to use Early Release programs to reduce prison populations, but until the political consensus in IL reverses and overcomes the negative press from the last Early Release attempt, no Early Release program will happen in Illinois.
Gladyse Taylor merely babysat the department, and Quinn did not name her final IDOC Director. Instead, on April 25, 2011, Governor Quinn nominated Salvador “Tony” Godinez to lead the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). Last, the executive director of the Cook County Sheriff’s Department of Corrections, Godinez has spent 37 years working in the correctional system, including as warden of Stateville Correctional Center, as well as chief of operations and chief of staff at IDOC. Godinez is a “no nonsense, experienced IDOC staffer— an old pro. Consensus within corrections is that “he is a safe pick…won’t shake things up, but sure as hell won’t screw things up either. No MGT Push surprises out of this guy. Boring is good in corrections.” Godinez was easily confirmed by the IL General Assembly, and has been following the policy set out by Quinn, but has not initiated anything.
On October 8, 2010, Quinn stated that his emphasis to reduce the swelling prison population will be on “on alternative sentencing, boot camps, working with local law enforcement and local sheriffs to not have people come into the state prison at all.” Up to this point, we have seen no initiatives from Quinn. Local counties still control alternative sentencing options and with local and county budgets been hit, these alternatives are increasingly being eliminated and not expanded.
IDOC officials indicated for over a year that the revamping of MGT is IDOC’s top priority and that it involves a number of related steps in order to complete.
First Indication that Quinn & State of IL resolve to Address State Prison Overcrowding & Release of Prisoners
We previously advised readers that any return of the Meritorious Good Time Credit (MGT) which IL Governor Pat Quinn suspended in December 2009, or a new program for the early release of IL inmates would first be publicly announced before the state acted to release anyone. Rumors are spread every month to inmates within the IL Department of Corrections (IDOC) about the anticipated return of MGT. These rumors are false, and as this article shows, IDOC is not about to reinstate MGT.
The article below is the first clear and official indication of how Governor Quinn intends to proceed in order to address the extreme prison overcrowding he created in his attempt to win election as state governor. Quinn has so far ignored all inquiries as to why he has not reinstated MGT, but this article basically states that he will not do so; nor will he implement any “early release” program across the board. Rather, it states that Quinn and staff are brainstorming with just a few crucial legislators who deal with criminal justice issues; particularly Rep. Dennis Reboletti, who is a hard-liner on crime.
Rep Reboletti speaks of “alternative sentencing”, ankle bracelets, treatment centers and halfway houses; terms similar to Quinn’s mention in October 2010 that he would focus on altenative sentencing, but it remains to be seen exactly what, if any, leniency will be included in the methods by which these options will be implemented. Reboletti has never advocated shortening sentences and releasing any inmates early, and his alternative sentencing options may mean just removing prisoners from IDOC and the State’s responsibility and instead making them serve the remainder of their terms elsewhere, such as in local communities. Given that the State is short on money already and so are most communities; passing the responsibility for prisoner behavior onto localities would be difficult to work out. Yet, if localities accept inmates and themselves release them early, then the State can avoid political flack if anything goes wrong.
Whatever form of compromise is reached between Quinn and his legislators, it is unlikely to apply uniformly across the board for inmates. Some inmates convicted of non-violent offenses will be eligible to participate; yet others committing other offenses may not have that option. Rep. Art Turner’s legislative overture to set aside the 60 day requirement is certainly doomed. Additionally, since funding sources appear to be non-existent right now, implementing sentencing alternatives and processing individuals by the end of the upcoming Spring legislative session appears to be over-optimistic.
ILprisontalk.com is urging it’s members to contact legislators in support of Rep Turner’s bill and HB 3900. We doubt this is necessary. Since legislators tightened eligibility restrictions for awarding MGT, they are unlikely to now loosen them, and Governor Quinn won’t require this. Given who the legislators are that Quinn is negotiating with, Quinn isn’t going to unveil any risky or lenient program for sentence reduction. And, he will not need a prod to act. He will just move when he decides to do so. He can count on legislative support, not opposition, as legislators are not likely to oppose any actions negotiated by both parties and the Governor that they believe will reduce the prison population (and, more importantly, prison costs).
Quinn may have a few more unpleasant surprises up his sleeve. Last year he pushed hard for a state tax increase and got it, but it did not solve the state’s fiscal problems. Illinois is more in the hole than ever, and there are no more magic rabbits for Quinn. Now, his only solutions are to cut state expenses and increase the state’s efficiency, and he is starting to move in ways which may be ruthless. Quinn had seven state facilities on the chopping block for closure last year. Their closures were averted at the time, but he just resurrected two of them last week: Tinley Park and Jacksonville. These serve vulnerable, disabled individuals which Quinn now states he is justified on moving back into the community because he has better plans for their placement and welfare. Quinn’s plans are yet unspecified and may be little better than his initial and criticized plans, yet he is announcing the closures of Tinley Park and Jacksonville as executive and final decisions not subject to re-review. Quinn is using the assertion that because his initial closure plans for these two facilities involved public hearings and a review, that these eliminate the necessity for the same this time around. If Quinn wins on this point, don’t be surprised if he also resurrects the closure of Logan Correctional Center and/or the Chester Mental Health Center.
This is not to say that alternative sentencing is not the solution. It is, but it will not succeed alone. Alternative sentencing options will only take some offenders out of IDOC to relieve prison overcrowding. It does not resolve the overcrowding in the first place, and if the current community mindset with respect to crime and offenders is not changed, then localities will not welcome alternative sentencing options and the placements of offenders.
Supposedly, there has been a statewide push for several years for circuit courts and counties to develop local programs to recognize and correct the problem of persons being sent to prison who either do not need to be there in the first place or who do not benefit by being in prison. While it is known that some individuals are dangerous to society or deserving of severe punishment; IL prisons today are largely filled with more minor offenders who are not rehabilitated but simply warehoused by state prison. Adult Redeploy was designed to create funding methods for communities to develop alternative court supervision and rehabilitative programs to reserve state prison for serious and dangerous offenders.
Some communities deserve credit for getting their jail populations under control, because they have been proactive in realizing that it is better to rehabilitate rather than punish the citizens who ultimately return to their communities. Other communities have continued to deal harshly with offenders and are just beginning to consider their options as they are finding that they cannot afford the costs of jailing everyone. Unfortunately, much better progress could have been made with Adult Redeploy up to this point in time. Now, if the state also throws responsibility for prison inmates upon these localities, it may swamp them. Not only that, but the state and these localities will face the public unwillingness to host inmates since these localities have been trained for years to criminalize offenders.
The chickens are coming home to roost for IL. On the one hand the state is running out of money as the prison population continues to climb; on the other hand, electoral rhetoric and “Get tough on Crime” politics have created a public atmosphere which is unreceptive to the degree of mindset change required to deal with prison overcrowding and avoid the embarrassing lawsuits and costly effects it has has in other states.
We will continue to update information during the upcoming legislative session as events unfold, but at this point, readers should not expect any early releases to occur of IDOC inmates and should not expect modifications to be made in the terms of sentences till possibly the end of this year.
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AP Exclusive: Lawmakers seek prison crowding fix
FILE – In this April 2004 file photo, eighty-six inmates share a dormitory at the minimum-security Vandalia Prison in Vandalia, Ill. With Illinois’ prison population continuing to rise and Gov. Pat Quinn refusing to reinstate a program that gave well-behaved prisoners early release, lawmakers from both parties are pushing plans this spring to find alternatives to incarceration or other ideas to reduce the state’s packed lockups. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman,File) — AP
By JOHN O’CONNOR, AP Political Writer
3:23 p.m., Jan. 20, 2012
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Lawmakers from both parties are seeking ways to reduce Illinois’ growing prison population, and one has introduced legislation to restart a contentious program that let well-behaved prisoners out early.
Gov. Pat Quinn shut down the 30-year-old early release program after The Associated Press reported in 2009 that prison officials had implemented an unpublicized, accelerated version that was springing criminals in as little as eight days.
He has shown no interest in reviving it, but least one legislator is looking at it again as the prison population has grown by 3,000 inmates in two years. Meanwhile, a group of lawmakers is meeting with Quinn to find solutions more palatable to the governor and the public.
Conditions inside state prisons are “wretched,” according to John Maki, executive director of the prison watchdog group John Howard Association. Monitoring visits to Illinois lockups in the past year have revealed inmates housed in gymnasiums, standing water in living quarters and rodent problems.
Illinois is not alone in trying to address prison crowding. An August report by the American Civil Liberties Union identified six states that have adopted laws in the past five years to decrease prison populations, with four more working on the issues. One of the more popular tacks among reform states is to expand good-conduct credit, including in Kentucky and Ohio just last year.
Prison advocates nationwide generally support early release as one solution to overcrowding, and Rep. Art Turner, D-Chicago, has introduced legislation that would restore Illinois’ accelerated early-release program. But the governor previously has said he won’t go along with that, even with new controls imposed by lawmakers, after problems with the program nearly cost him reelection in 2010.
Instead, Quinn’s staff has been working with a group of legislators who plan to pick up the pace when the General Assembly resumes its work later this month. Some told the AP they hope to have a solution by the end of the spring session.
The group includes Rep. Dennis Reboletti, a law-and-order legislator who speaks of being “smart on crime” and advocates alternative sentencing, such as treatment for first- or second-time substance abusers.
“Put them into community-based programs with ankle bracelets, into treatment centers or halfway houses where they can get job counseling or programming to put them back into a productive life,” the Elmhurst Republican said.
As of November, there were 48,620 people incarcerated in Illinois, 144 percent more than the 33,700 for which space was designed, according to the Corrections Department. But department officials now play down those numbers, saying “operational capacity” is about 51,200. That’s after the agency began counting how many people a facility can actually hold, along with what it was designed to house.
For decades in Illinois, the director of the Corrections Department had the discretion to cut sentences with “meritorious good time,” or MGT, by up to six months for an inmate who displayed good behavior behind bars.
But Quinn abandoned the practice in December 2009 after the AP reported that the agency secretly dropped an informal requirement that all incoming inmates serve 60 days behind bars before getting good-time credit in a plan dubbed “MGT Push.” More than 1,700 inmates were released under that program, and some went on to commit more crimes.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Derrick King, for example, was sentenced to three years in prison for a brutal attack on a woman in 2008. He served about a year in county jail and 14 days in state prison before he was released in October 2009 under MGT Push and then arrested the next day on suspicion of assault and sent back to prison.
Lawmakers later put the 60-day minimum sentence requirement into law. An independent review of the accelerated early-release program determined the Quinn administration had failed to consider dangers to public safety in trying to save money and recommended it be reinstated with reforms.
Quinn has not said why his administration will not reinstate the program, although he said in October 2010 he was focusing on “alternative sentencing approaches.” Spokeswoman Brooke Anderson confirmed he’s working with the legislative group to “manage population numbers while continuing to incarcerate – for safety, rehabilitation, and punishment.”
Along with Reboletti, the panel meeting with Quinn’s staff about a solution includes Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale and Sen. Michael Noland, D-Elgin. Each says he’s open to options that keep the public safe but reduce the inmate population to make prisons safer and spare the state budget. The House Democrats’ representative is parliamentarian David Ellis, the governor’s office said.
Dillard, a candidate for governor in 2010 and potentially again in 2014, said early release is not popular, given the shock of MGT Push.
“My constituents want people locked up,” he said. “They’re tired of people who still should be locked up in the penitentiary (out) committing crimes.”
Nonetheless, he’s open to ideas such as Reboletti’s.
Turner’s bill would reverse the new 60-day minimum prison sentence requirement and give the Corrections director discretion to release anyone who has served 60 days behind any bars, including in county jails. Turner did not return repeated calls and an email seeking comment.
Regardless of the method, something has to happen soon, Maki said.
At Vandalia prison in June, John Howard visitors found dirty, stagnant water pooling on the floor of inmates’ living areas. One dormitory, Building 19, at Vienna prison in September had rodent droppings and inmates complained of mice and cockroaches. Windows on two floors were broken and birds had built nests inside.
“When you put nonviolent offenders in deplorable conditions you’re not going to make this person better,” said Maki, whose report blames Quinn and lawmakers who have cut corrections budgets. “Prisons are not typically uplifting places, but Building 19 was one of the most depressing things I’ve ever seen.”
Illinois governor to close 2 state institutions
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This entry was posted on January 21, 2012 at 6:28 am and is filed under Early Release, FOIA-Freedom of Information Act, IDOC, IL in Fiscal Ruins, Local Issues, Meritorious Good Time, Uncategorized. Tagged: Governor Quinn and good time, idoc early release, MGT, return of good time. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Edit this entry.
In September 2009, Quinn and Randle initiated an “Early Release” Program (described below) to test the effect of releasing 1,000 short-term inmates early in order to save IDOC costs. The hope was that these individuals successfully released would pave the way for the state to subsequently release 7,000 – 10,000 additional inmates at significant cost savings to IDOC. Unfortunately, the program was not well implemented and some individuals were released who had violent backgrounds and who committed crimes upon release. The political backlash incurred by Quinn over the program resulted in his terminating all IDOC Early Release Programs in December 2009. It also resulted in Quinn canceling all Meritorious Good Time Credits which IDOC awarded (up to six months) to inmates in order to shorten their IDOC sentences.
A commission was established to investigate the Early Release programs and report back findings in May 2010. That report issued August 12, 2010.
In the meantime, lack of MGT reinstatement leaves many individuals in IDOC facilities serving longer terms than they anticipated. Many are reporting that they have been misinformed by prosecutors concerning the length of their sentences prior to accepting plea bargains. Any individual considering the acceptance of a plea agreement must now be aware that under the current IDOC situation, you will have to serve a minimum of 61 days of any sentence agreed to and will not be granted any good time credits until legislative action is taken. No matter what the court or prosecutor tells you; MGT is not guaranteed. It is discretionary and, in fact, no credit will be granted to anyone now unless MGT is formally reinstated by IDOC. Any other Early Release program is now unlikely to occur no matter what happens.
Richardwanke.com will continue to update this page with the latest information concerning IDOC Early Release and Good Time Credits as it is received, but we do not anticipate any movement here for a long time.
In July 2010, IDOC began releasing individuals who it states were approved for Early Release prior to January 2010. IDOC has set up the public notification page on it’s website it is required to do listing names and (unfortunately) the addresses and offense information for all inmates that it is now releasing early because they were approved for Good Time credits before the program was suspended. All inmates who were approved before the suspension know who they are and have been waiting to be released. Sources within IDOC say there may be a backlog of up to three years worth of pre-approved individuals awaiting their release. Curiously, many of the persons now being released entered IDOC as recently as 2009. Meanwhile, for the rest of IDOC inmates, MGT remains suspended awaiting legislative action. For these individuals, there are no short-cuts. Early Release is no longer expected to be reinstated.
Erickson’s Report on IDOC Early Release Issued August 12, 2010
Posted by tennesseetree on August 14, 2010
The delay in issuing Judge Erickson’s report and assessment of the IDOC Early Release Program and awarding of MGT Credit is now explained. The report was issued today during a major press conference conducted by IDOC ranking officials and Governor Quinn’s Administration.
The report and accompanying information may be viewed at the IDOC website, at, http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=3&RecNum=8753
Most of the report findings are not new because bits and parts of them have been previously leaked to the press by Erickson and other IDOC officials.
At the core of the new plan for implementing awarding of all Meritorious Good Time Credits to IDOC inmates are three points: 1. requiring inmates to earn credits and spend at least 60 days in state custody before receiving any awards for meritorious conduct, 2. developing formal, consistent procedures and policies for programs (with public input) and implementing these department- wide under the responsibility of the IDOC’s Chief Public Safety Officer, and 3. instituting a fully electronic advance notification process with appropriate procedural safeguards, to give local authorities time to respond to or prepare for a prisoner’s release and to plan for public safety.
What is apparent is that Quinn needed the time from January to now to get IDOC agency staff on-board and put the IDOC internal house in order as well as restructure the essentials of the IDOC Early Release program along the lines of the recommendations contained in the report before formally releasing the report and it’s specifics. Quinn timed the report release to issue now, before the November elections to demonstrate to the public that Quinn has the answer to his critics and a master plan to capably handle IDOC and all Early Release issues. Quinn wants no more political embarrassment from IDOC or early release and is effectively deflecting all opportunity for attack on the issue of crime by making IDOC a non-issue for this November’s election. Unfortunately, this ploy did not quite work out and Quinn released Mike Randle from his position as IDOC director in September 2010, in response to further political attacks from Quinn’s opponents.
Everybody has to note, that much of the plan and many of the objectives outlined by IDOC today still exist more on paper than in fact. What this means to the public is delay; a lot of additional delay before the agency actually once again starts to award MGT to anyone not previously approved to receive it. As IDOC stated today, several of the recommended reforms announced will require legislative action and if they are also seeking public input for procedures; then, as we all know, it will take quite a while. Obviously, Early Release will not be in place by November 2010, and probably not before Spring 2011. In the meantime current MGT and Early Release programs remain suspended; so sorry, but no one else is getting approved for them until then.
We have a plan; it is a large plan, and we can only wait to see how well it is implemented.
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A Scandal that Wasn’t – The Facts about “Early Release”
(Factsheet handled out to press by Alan Mills of Uptown People’s Law Office at August 11, 2010 hearing on Early Release)
1. Nobody in any Illinois prison was released early.
a) The 1,745 prisoners released during Fall 2009 under the Push-MGT program all served terms mandated by law. The initiative taken by IDOC director Randle was to award MGT (Meritorious Good Time) to all those who were eligible for it, rather than arbitrarily withholding it from prisoners serving less than 61 days. (These prisoners already served terms of at least three months in local jails before transfer to IDOC custody.)
b) Prisoners serving terms less than 61 days are extremely expensive because they must be examined and classified, and assigned to a program of rehabilitation. But since they are generally released long before they have to access rehabilitative programming – sometimes even before they have left Reception and Classification — a few additional days or weeks of incarceration is pointless.
c) The average reduction in sentence for prisoners released under revised Push-MGT was 37 days.
2. The scheduled release of prisoners was not secret.
a) Though not much discussed in the media, Meritorious Good Time is a program that is well-known by corrections professionals and many legislators. The law establishing the program – 730 ILCS 5/3-6-3(a)(3) and (a)(4) — was passed in 1978 by Republican Governor James R. Thompson. The initiative was expanded by Republican Governor Jim Edgar in 1993 with added good time for the completion of educational, substance abuse and other programs.
b) IDOC Director Randle publicly announced the expansion of the MGT release program in Sepember 2009. In addition, the IDOC lists on its website the names and photos of all prisoners in its custody, or under post-release supervision. When the controversy about MGT arose, the IDOC separately published the names of released prisoners.
3. Push-MGT did not lead to higher recidivism.
a) Illinois’ three-year recidivism rate is 51%. Of the 1745 prisoners released under Push-MGT, just 57 (3.26%) were returned to prison for new offenses. However under pressure from lawmakers and the press, new rules were established that lead to the return to prison of many more, 841 (48.2%). These men were sent back to prison for technical, even petty violations, including a single positive drug or alcohol test or possession of alcohol in the home. The new rules also required prisoners to make daily phone reports and twice-weekly visits to a parole office, sometimes hundreds of miles from their homes. Violation of any of these provisions resulted in re-incarceration.
b) A few of the released prisoners committed serious crimes, and this is regrettable. The story of Edjuan Payne who committed a murder in Peoria is especially disturbing. But the crime for which Payne was incarcerated when he received good time credit was relatively minor, and a number of trained professionals – including conservatives on the Prisoner Review – determined that any threat posed by his release was small. They made a mistake that turned out to be tragic. Some prisoners – whenever they are released – will recommit crimes, and there is no reason to believe that a few extra days or weeks in prison will turn a recidivist into a model citizen. The only proven method of reducing recidivism is education, rehabilitation, and jobs.
4. Most states have programs like MGT and they have been proven both safe and effective.
a) A carefully controlled study of crime and punishment in New York, Michigan, Kansas, and New Jersey has indicated that prison populations can be safely cut by eliminating mandatory minimum terms, reducing or ending sentences for minor drug offenses, and increasing the use of meritorious good time (The Sentencing Project, Downsizing Prisons: Lessons from Four States). New York State has cut its prison population by 20% and reduced violent crime by 30% over ten years. Saving money is compatible with public safety.
b) The bi-partisan Taxpayer Action Board (TAB) appointed by Governor Quinn in 2009, recommended that the IDOC dramatically reduce its large, low-risk inmate population by allowing those who “no longer represent a significant risk to society” to “reenter society under state supervision.” MGT serves this essential purpose.
c) The Illinois Crime Reduction Act of 2009, (SB 1289) co-sponsored by Republican Senator Jim Durkin, was signed into law one year ago by Governor Pat Quinn. Its mandate is to end the imprisonment of men and women guilty of minor crimes. One provison of the law, (sec. 10, part c, no, 2), even decrees that additional good time can be earned by prisoners for participating in drug-treatment, educational and other programming. Some of the same legislators who voted to increase the use of MGT condemned it just a few months later!
5. Sen. Bill Brady sponsored a bill that reduced MGT, increasing the states prison population by 2,557 and costing the state an estimated $64 Million dollars per year!
a) The Illinois prison population now stands at 47,718, an annualized increase of nearly 10% from the previous year, at a time when most states have been reducing their prison populations. According to research by Malcolm Young of Northwestern University’s Bluhm Legal Clinic, Illinois could save 120 Million dollars a year by reducing its prison population by just 5,000 – a modest 10% reduction.
b) The 28 Illinois prisons were built to hold 31,000 inmates. They are now greatly overcrowded, leading to greater violence, sickness and mental illness among prisoners, and much greater danger to corrections officers.
The real scandal is that the prison population has been allowed to soar, recidivism rates to rise, and our pockets emptied because a few politicians prefer to arouse fear than offer real solutions. The only path forward is to offer alternatives to prison for those who commit minor offenses, and educational and rehabilitation programs to those we must imprison.
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Linda Shelton has an excellent analysis on the injustices that will result on persons convicted on non-violent and lesser offenses as a result of the new State law passed in January 2010, requiring all IDOC prisoners to serve at least 61 days of their sentence prior to release from IDOC. As she shows, “early release” is not secret, is not new, and is not even necessarily “early”:
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FROM IDOC WEBSITE NEWS:
IDOC Director Randle announces prison reforms
State provides funding to the Illinois Department of Corrections for smarter prevention, tougher enforcement
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IDOC Director Randle welcomes members of the Adult Advisory Board
Board will assist IDOC in reforming state’s criminal justice system
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October 13, 2009, Chicago Sun-Times commentary, at:
www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1821093,CST-EDT-edit13.article
http://richardwanke.com/2010/01/13/more-idoc-political-football/
http://richardwanke.com/2010/02/12/other-states-still-going-ahead-with-early-release/
http://richardwanke.com/2010/02/08/what-is-wrong-with-the-media-hype-over-early-release/
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Latest information on IDOC Inmate Early Release & Reforms:
http://richardwanke.com/2010/03/08/bill-brady-still-using-idoc-early-release-as-political-issue/
http://richardwanke.com/2010/02/25/and-even-worse-idoc-news/
http://richardwanke.com/2010/02/25/more-screwing-with-idoc-good-time-credits/
http://richardwanke.com/2010/01/27/no-state-workers-will-be-laid-off-right-now/
http://richardwanke.com/2010/01/22/more-confusion-at-idoc/
http://richardwanke.com/2010/01/07/lawsuit-between-quinn-state-workers-in-negiotiation/
http://richardwanke.com/2010/01/07/quinn-moving-fast/
http://richardwanke.com/2010/01/06/now-all-idoc-early-release-programs-stopped/
http://richardwanke.com/2010/01/06/no-money-too-many-inmates/
http://richardwanke.com/2010/01/06/another-way-idoc-saves-money/
http://richardwanke.com/2010/01/01/idoc-announces-changes-to-meritorious-good-time-program/
http://richardwanke.com/2009/12/31/idoc-early-releases-due-to-meritorious-good-time-ended/
http://richardwanke.com/2009/12/15/the-threat-at-idoc-prisons/
http://richardwanke.com/2009/12/15/quinn-in-hot-water-for-way-idoc-inmates-released-early/
http://richardwanke.com/2009/10/22/more-upcoming-news-at-idoc/
http://richardwanke.com/2009/10/21/our-opinion-new-corrections-chief-embraces-reforms/
http://richardwanke.com/2009/10/21/latest-on-how-idoc-plans-to-save-money/
http://richardwanke.com/2009/10/16/prisons-director-defends-early-releases/
http://richardwanke.com/2009/08/29/quinn-grapples-with-prison-cuts-amid-budget-mess/
IDOC Early Releases due to “Meritorious Good Time” ended « RichardWanke.Com said
[...] Read most current information regarding status of IDOC Early Release & Good Time Credits here [...]
Ann Mcmiller said
I would truely like to know;If QUINN will be signing anything by march 18 2011 please. Inform me .
jon burgener said
Ok, So here is a question for you. What about the people that where sentenced before the MGT (good time) was taken away, shouldnt they still be eligable for the good time since it wasnt astablished until after that person for persons were sentenced. You know its not the inmates fault for your councilors cannot do there jobs right and put the person or persons in for the MGT or good time. I think that any person that was sentenced before this took place should still be eligable for the MGT or good time what ever you may call it. And if there not going to give to those inmate then a lawyer should let them know and the reasons behind it. That seems fair to me and logical.
Glaydes said
Jon and all,
More than a few people agree with you. First, no one is really sure how upfront Governor Quinn is about supporting early release and good time for inmates. All the politicians are doing right now is exploiting the public’s concern about “Public Safety” issues in IL. Every one of them is coming out with strong language on getting tough on “criminals”. So none of them are going to do anything favorable and sensible about MGT or early release till after the November elections. After November, if Quinn is still Gov, we will see if he comes out with anything reasonable about MGT. If not, then yes; there is at least one organization out there which is considering taking legal action against the state for those who were sentenced before the MGT rules were changed. There are a lot of inmates hanging there who are being unfairly affected by these changes and who should be eligible for MGT under the earlier rules according to general legal principles.
When legal action is finally announced, please, everybody support the organization that spearheads this campaign!
Jennifer Kay Buckholtz said
Itotally agree with this and for every one of these inmates who took a plea with the intention of promised mgt,for isn’t that fair?…..or is it just forget these first time offenders?If Gov.Quinn is re-elected in Nov……everyone who votes for him should just remove themselves from life for they aren’t doing n.e.one any good……but they would be just like their voted in Govenor ..NO GOOD FOR NO ONE BUT THEMSELVES!
Vicki W. said
I can’t believe anyone would thing cancelling the mgt would help the situation. There are so many inmates in there that shouldn’t be there. My son has been in since January because of lies and a crooked and corrupt county justice system. He deserves to earn good time and have a chance to come home. All the other inmates deserve those rights also. The solution is to reinstate it but take more precautions to insure the right ones are released. Each inmate should be evaluated very carefully and helped to re-enter society. Maybe you should invest in the right people to do the job and make the system work. with that you would make a lot of families happy and give inmates the freedom they deserve. Please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vicki
grace gramas said
I read the article and it makes me sick to my stomack knowing how the politicians pass any law to their advantage to win election. My son is in prison because police is corrupted i doesn’t tell the truth but the opposite. They lie and lie. That’s how the justice system is. It’s easier to get away with morder sometime than be panished with DUI. I experienced how the judicial system works on county level etc. All is b.s. Even if the judge recomends rehab the prison system will throw an inmate wherever they have “a spot” to shovel a human.. I can’t believe how the system is working. Only the rich can get a break not regular people.
Ms. Nolove said
Why are the inmates with the lesser crimes being countably for the gov. Quinn mistake and his office. I feel that is not fair to ours love one, that was do to come home on good time. Now they got to wait to u’ll fix what you did wrong. And how long do that suppost to take.
sbiggs65 said
I believe that MGT should be re-instated. I don’t have anyone in the prison system but it just seems logical from IL budget standpoint. Criminals with lesser offenses who are in a rehab-type correctional facility should be considered first. Those are the individuals who are there because of drug and alcohol offenses and have requested to be there to try to change that type of behavior. Admission that they have a problem is the first step. There are phase-ups that they have to complete in order to change their way of thinking and become productive citizens when released. The solution is to reinstate it but take better precautions in evaluating the inmates.
jaymie shanks said
I think that the inmates that were sentenced b4 Quinn screwed up deserve a chance with MGT. My husband took a plea beleaving that he would get the MGT and here we are11mnts later still nothing. Its not fair he hasnt been n trouble b4and he was wrong place wrong time nd the county he got convictd n was corrupt and wantd him lockd up4a long time! These non violent inmates deserve a chance with the mgt if they were sentenced b4it got taken away. Its not their fault Quinn screwd up and didnt screen the inmates right and he had all the inmate families voting4him me bein1of them thinking our loved1would get the chance they deserve with the mgt n he isnt sticking2his word once again! PLEASE HELP GET THESE INMATES THE MGT THEY DESERVE!!!!!!!
Ms. Katie said
I would like to know why an inmate can’t recieve medical help that’s part of there rights since they can’t go out to the doctor. My husband is a disabled individual and paying for a nonviolent crime. He was promised during sentence that he would get day for day they lied. He was suppose to have surgery while inside but he can’t even get the proper healthcare or medicine we aren’t asking for much just what was manddated in court during sentencing.So don’t trust what the lawyers or the judges say.Mgt was promised before December 9, 2009 so why is he caught up in this scandal of Quinns no early release when it was part of his sentencing!?
Ms.Mechee said
I feel you, Ms.Katie! My fiance is there on a DUI charge,& um it’s been almost 2yrs he’s been
incarcerated. This is bullshit!& not only did they pick him up on private property, but we were sitting on our own driveway & no accidents were involved. So what would you think about that? This is why these jails are overcrowded!
Heather said
Im with both of u jaymie and katie. My boyfriend hasnt been sentenced yet but he was charged with delivery a couple of months ago. Then a couple of weeks ago my boyfriend who is out on bail was with a couple of friends playing pool and a man was calling my man names so my man open handed slapped him. No one was hurt actually my bf got sucker punched by another guy and his chin got cut open. My bf ended up in jail for agg. battery. witch should have been just a simiple battery. Now he is in jail and they want to give him 5 yrs. Knowing that the idoc is over populated.I think the only ones who should serve all thier time is the ppl who hurt/kill women-babies and children. O and i forgot to mention that my cuz came over to tell me that his gf is getting 9months mgt. I dont know how true this is. but i hope he was telling me the truth!
shantell said
PLEASE PLEASE
shantell said
PLZ PLZ can someone plz give me more info on good time my husband is there for a dum reason ..he has a suspend lic ..we are both counting on good time he was told if he pleds gulity he will be out less in 2 weeks because he has already done 1 month..my cell is 773 701-1699 plz text me info about good time thanks
arturo said
i myself too. if i take the plea. i will receive a one year sentence which takes place on march 11, 2011. how much did they offer him?
Mark'd-N-Violation said
Good time supposely is to return sometime in the Spring of 2011. Unfortunately, this is a terrible thing for many of our love ones!…….many who was told by lawyers and judges that they would serve an even lesser sentence with the pleas they took. Many of the inmates were told that they would be credited for the time that they had already served in jail. We can all see that was NOT TRUE! Imagine that! You can’t trust no one but God!……..So those of you that have love ones in prison, Expect the longest sentence rendered but Hope for the Best! All we can do at this time and should always do is Pray and keep Faith!……..and please keep SUPPORTING our LOVE ONES! As long as they know they have a GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM such as FAMILY and FRIENDS, they will be FINE!
arturo said
“and please keep SUPPORTING our LOVE ONES! As long as they know they have a GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM such as FAMILY and FRIENDS, they will be FINE!”
very well said
deniece said
these non-violent inmates did what they did to survive, because of they’er background some people had labled them has being the worst people walking the earth.Iam not saying that what they did was right I am not God Almighty so I will not judge them but I do think that Gov Quinn should release the non-violent inmates instead of holding them more than there are there for that’s why prisons are overcrowed.they claim that the state is slow paying the vendors in the prisons, release some of these inmates then see where the money is. Gov.Quinn you’re back in office LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE.
Tabitha said
I WAS AT THE VANDALIA CC YESTERDAY AND I HAD GOT COFFEE OUT OF THE MACHINE IN THE VISITING ROOM AND SOMETHING TOLD ME TO LOOK IN MY CUP SO I DID AND THERE WERE THREE ANTS FLOATING AROUND IN MY CUP, HOW NASTY IS THAT? I HAVE HAD ENOUGH WITH THIS PLACE, ITS TO THE POINT WHERE I DON’T WANT TO TAKE MY BABY BECAUSE THE HIGHCHAIRS ARE NEVER CLEAN BUT I SAW AN INMATE SHINING 3 OFFICER’S BOOTS. THE SYSTEM IS SCREWED UP! WHEN MY HUSBAND FIRST LEFT TO DO HIS SENTENCE HIS LAWYER TOLD ME HE WILL DO ONE YEAR AND HE IS DOING 18 MONTHS, THANK GOD IT’S ALMOST OVER BUT I FEEL LIKE SINCE WE PAY THESE LAWYERS GOOD MONEY TO HELP THEN THEY SHOULD’VE BEEN HONEST WIT US ABOUT OUR FAMILIES SENTENCES, I FEEL LIKE, “THEY JUST TOOK OUR MONEY AND RAN!”
deniece said
to tabitha;those chumps told me the same thing.mine got 18 months and his year was up in dec.he’s in work release now waiting for quinn to release the non-violent inmates. All those lawyers want is to take money,call them selves doing is their job. they don’t care if they these inmates did’nt have nothing but a simple case of jay walking they want money. as far as an inmate shining an officer’s anything he should have reported it unless there’s something else. I wish I would pick cotton or anything concerning slavery. how low can they go.
Larry said
Our son was sentenced to prison for stealing a $15 bottle of liquor and this was done after he had recovered from 4 brain surgeries from traumatic motorcycle accident; judge refused to let that be an excuse; he was on power trip and had to show all who was boss! We were told with early out he would be out in Aug. 2010 but he’s still at Mt. Sterling where he is getting no medical treatment as prison Dr. thinks nothing is wrong! I sent 500 page hospital transcript to my son and he showed it to prison Dr. and he threw it in trash! Our son needs medical attention! The guards always use excuse they are under staffed and yet every time we go to visit our son there are 4 & 5 guards standing around in visiting area eating are joking around. Counselors are no help at all; they never have time to help do anything!Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help get good time back!
gloria said
I think the govenor is scaried to stand up to the REPUBLICANS. The early release program has been in existence for 30 years now all of a sudden its not working..I dont think the REPUBLICANS really care about this program I think it was used for political reasons so Brady could get in office..I voted for Quinn but I expect him to do the right thing and reinstate that early release program..My son is in jail for a dui ..He had never been to jail before in his life but a man in our town killed a unarmed man because his dog urinated on the homeowners lawn and HE IS A FREE MAN ..NO JAIL TIME ..PROBATION …EVEN THOUGH HE KILLED A UNARMED HUMAN BEING ..THE JUDGE SAID THE YOUNG MAN CURSED THE OLDER MAN AND HIT HIM BUT THE TRUTH IS THE MAN WENT BACK IN HIS HOUSE GOT A GUN AND KILLED THE FATHER OF 3..INSTEAD OF CLOSING HIS DOOR AND CALLING THE POLICE BUT THIS IS AMERICAN JUSTICE..THIS IS THE PERSON THAT DOESNT BELONG IN JAIL BECAUSE HE IS 67 YEARS OLD AND NEVER BEEN TO JAIL .MY SON HAD NEVER BEEN TO JAIL EITHER AND HE GOT PRISON TIME ..OH AND WHAT ABOUT THE MOTHER IN INDIANA THAT KILLED HER 3 YEAR OLD AND CARRIED HIS BODY IN A TOTE BAG FOR A YEAR AND GOT A 2500.00 BOND MY SON WITH A DUI GOT A 20,000.00 BOND THAT THEY WOULDNT REDUCE..I DONT UNDERSTAND THE AMERICAN JUSTICE SYSTEM..IF YOUR RICH U DONT GO TO JAIL AT ALL…I HOPE AND PRAY THE GOV QUINN DOES THE RIGHT THING A REINSTATE THE EARLY RELEASE PROGRAM ..I want to know if he is a leader or a follower…
sherry said
i think that if the inmate meets all the requirements they should be able to have an opportunity for early release. my husband has been incarcerated for nearrly 4 years and has given up a lot of pride in order to stay out of trouble so he can come home early.Its time for the government to accept the fact that just because a person makes a bad decision doesnt mean they should be forgotten.karma has a way of coming around.
Coleen Howell said
We need to write our congressmen and encourage them to reinstate the good time. Our prisons are so overcrowded. I think the good time needs to be closely monitored but it should be reinstated.
pissedofffiance said
Who else should we notify? Names and addresses and ill gladly write them. Thank you
Sandra said
I don’t understand why some of these Correctional Officers keep giving inmates false statements about the early release. I have a loved one in East Moline who hears different stories even from people out here in the free world, I suggest they do a little research before opening there mouths and having inmates believe untrue stories!
Kristy said
My husband was railroaded by his attorney and the judge and was sentenced to 3 1/2 years for a class 4 felony the lowest felony you can get and it was for a non violent crime. I have wrote a lot of state reps and congressmen. I got a response from one of them. He just said that they are working on it and for me to call back. Maybe if we all just keep writing and sending letters to all the state reps and congressmen maybe they will not put the MGT on the back burner. The state would save so much money. The inmates that are not a threat to society should be able to get early release and if the state is so worried about money they need to start with releasing these types of inmates. Apparently they are not to worried or it would already be in effect.
KIMM said
I feel as if you all should give the inmates there good time back because they did not make the mistake of letting all the other inmates out when the gov, was giving away all that good time so now other inmates have to pay when they could be at home with there familys.
jake said
I was sentenced to 2 1/2 years for a non- violent crime this is my first time down and ive been down for 7 months now. I have made it to work release in Chicago, we all been hearing rumors bout good time and the electroic monitor but theres still nothing and by the time i get out i will of been down for a full year…if anyone hears bout anything let me know please n thank you.
Norma said
Aside from praying & believing in God for a miracle that the MGT program be reinstated, what specifically should we write our Governor, Legislators, Congressman, etc? And would it be more effective to email or write a letter? Thank you
craigoverheul said
I just came home 3 25 11 working 60+Hrs a week but am being sent back 2maro bcuz i worked ovrtime and i violated my bracelet mvt
evelyn said
My husband took his time cuz of mgt he is suppose 2 get out next year n now he might get out in 2013 can someone tell me some good nes cuz im going crazy
adrienne swanigan-williams said
my brother is an inmate @ jacksonville cor.center he was sentenced to one yr. in prison he sat in the county jail for three months an statesville for two weeks,nw he suppose to come home 8-17-11 an i was wondering was he going to come home before then with good time…i thinnk it was a waste of tax payers money to send him down state for a non violent crime,for that short period of time the prisons are to crowded an i feel they need to save the space for more serious crimes.
Erica Carden said
I ask that you please give the 6 months goodtime back. My husband has been gone for a little over a year now. I have been by myself with 3 kids 10,6 and nine months. I went through a pregnancy by myself and do the best i can. Things are rough out here with three kids and only one income. The kids and i would love him to come home. My husband is incarcerated for deceptive practice and theft. I hope and pray everyday that the goodtime will come back! He’s missing his boys grow up and they need a father! Thank you!
Erica Carden said
If anyone hears anythimg please let me know!
Diane said
Governor Quinn, Please give the Good TimeProgram another try???!!! I know by releasing those prisoners back in( I beleive it was) 2009 didnt go over very well. Please don’t make all others pay for that. Please do something!!! Like Obama says u gotta do something. We All live to fight another day. Things dont turn out the way we plan, but we cannot shut down. Please try it again. and again.. Dont let others suffer for past unfortunates. That is the way life is. We try and try again.. Just know Governor Quinn, if you are faithful and true and honest in what u are doing. The rest will handle itself. As a public official we look to you for Help and support and hope you can feel our pain!!! Sincererly, Mother Dear
BLACK said
PLEASE GIVE THEM THE CHANGE TO MAKE SOMETHING OF THERE SELF WITH THIS GOO TIME IF U DON’T THEY WILL BE SOME THAT WILL NEVER DO ANYTHNG BUT STAY IN THERE ALL THERE LIFE BUT SEE MY HUSBAND HAS BEEN THERE NOW FOR 1YEAR AND HALF AND WE HAVE THREE KIDS AN WE NEED HIM WHEN HE DIDNT DO ANYTHNG THAT WILL MAKE HIM STAY THERE THIS LONG PLEASE RELEASE HIM ASAP??????
Siretta Hall said
I am trying to see if the good time is back. The six month good time. My brother is currently incarcerated and wants to know about the status of the good time.
Mandy said
I myself am curious to know when or even if the good time is coming back. My girlfriend is currently incarcerated and is constantly getting her hopes up over rumors about good time being back. She and i both would like to know if it is back?
lactoselazy said
Sorry, Mandy, but good time has not returned. IDOC has said nothing on when it is likely to return except earliest might perhaps be at the end of this year or during next year. So don’t even expect action on it this fall legislative session.
Erin said
Is there any new word on the MGT as of today. My fiance is incarcerated and the PO there is telling them they are voting on the issue tomorrow and if it goes through they will start realeasing October 1st of 2011. Im sure this is more rumors but I would like any feed back Please? Thanks
tennesseetree said
Erin,
Sorry, but no. What your fiance has been told is clearly a false rumor. No one is “voting” on any issue. The IL state legislators are not even in session. The IL House and IL Senate will not return to begin a new session until October 25, 2011. The PO is just putting a new spin on October 1, as the IDOC staff continue to do for the first of each new month by inventing lies to use to tell inmates so as to keep their behavior in-line. There has been a new or continuing rumor fed to inmates each month since January 2010. Expect no changes to happen even after Oct 25. The session will get underway, but it will take weeks, if not months for anything related to IDOC to be proposed and discussed by legislators. Even then, nothing they come up with will probably effect MGT.
john chavez said
my wife is in dwight and was told that gov quinn may sign this month on the good time ,has anyone else heard anything to that effect? if so please contact me at cuba69.jc@gmail.com ty
mikethemouth said
John,
Your wife is being misled. There is NOTHING (no bills, legislation) pending before the Governor to sign anytime before the end of the next legislative Fall Veto session (which begins October 25, 2011, and runs thru Nov 10, 2011), which will reinstate MGT or good time. Really can not repeat this enough. The legislature submitted bills to Governor Quinn dealing with all sorts of issues at the end of May 2011. Some of these bills concerned different criminal legal penalties, and some mentioned small aspects of good time or MGT, but none of these bills either authorized the reinstatement of MGT or Good time! Quinn has signed some of these criminal corrections bills this summer. Nothing he has signed deals with the reinstatement of MGT. Until the fall veto session begins, Quinn can either sign or veto the various bills sent to him. At the fall veto session, legislators will consider those bills he has vetoed or amended and decide if they have the votes to override his veto of some of those bills. In January, the legislative session for next year starts all over again and new bills will be submitted and considered by the legislature. These may take till May to pass, and once again, these are sent to the Governor then. SO, NOTHING IS IN THE LEGISLATIVE ROAD TO THE GOVERNOR AT THIS TIME ABOUT MGT.
NOT THAT ANY OF THAT REALLY MATTERS! Quinn suspended MGT on his own authority, and he can reinstate it (again on his own authority) at any time. He does not need the legislature to do so. He apparently does not intend to do so until he is satisfied that internal IDOC changes are finished enough for MGT to be handled properly.
bobbi drew said
Praying glad others are to
Beth said
Call the gov offices and tell them you favor MGT ( if you do ) 1-312-814-2121 & 1-217-782-0244
deborah said
Does that mean my boyfriend who in prison will get to come home and we will ffinally get married? i havent saw him in a long time and its very hard to vist aperson in prison.
Ericka said
I REALLY NEED TO KNOW IS IT TRUE GOOD TIME IS ABOUT TO BE REINSTATED . MY SON ALWAYS CALLS HOME WITH SO MUCH HOPE FIRST IT WAS MOM I GOT MY GED WHICH IS A GOOD THING , THEN ITS IM ABOUT TO GET WORK RELEASE ONLY FOR THEM TO TRANSFER HIM AND THEN THE PROCESS STARTS OVER. SOMEONE ANYONE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE GOOD TIME PLEASE RESPOND . THANK YOU IN ADVANC
Lola Mcdonald said
I read all the stuff. And tell me why you keep hanging on to all that old material?
Please try to move into today November, 17, 2011 What is going on with the
3 Judges starting to relieve the dangerously overcrowded prisons in California?
I do hope someone has an answer
Lola McDonald
Linda Leib said
Linda Leib
My boyfriend is in Vandalia until 3-2-12 but was waiten on good time,but nothing yet. He needs back and eye surgey
He needs out befor he goes blind. I need help. His name is Roger Arnett.
priscilla r said
CAN SOMEONE HELP ME!!!! MY CHILDS FATHER WENT TO THE COUNTY JAIL IN MAY 2009, HE WAS SENTENCED TO 6 YRS. THEN HE WAS MOVED TO THE IDOC IN JAN 2011. HOW MUCH TIME DOES HE HAVE TO DO??? OR AROUND WHEN WILL HE BE RELEASED???
kjim said
Sure, Priscilla,
You can check on the IDOC website under inmate search. He has been in IDOC long enough that his out date will be shown when you look him up. Otherwise, he has to serve 1/2 of his sentence or three years starting from May 2009, which is sometime in May 2012.
Priscilla r. said
Thank you. I did see his discharge date is in may 2012 i was just wondering if he would be released before that date. Also do you know if i can get an order of protection before he is released?
Kjim said
Yes Priscilla, you can get an order of protection against him at any time. You can also be sure he will not be out prior to May 2012, because nothing being discussed for early release can go into effect before then.
mindy said
I need the return of early realease because my boyfriend Rodger Harris has been a big help to my kids and I since my husband passed away 3 years ago.I’m struggling to make it from day to day.He is lable a bad guy according to the law but to my kids and I he is our hero..
lisa said
hi my name is lisa my husband was sentenced in april the judge sentnced him 15 years but gave him a break and he got 4 year fix hes been in idaho prison for a year and 3 months i m hoping he come home early mgt … i am raising our children i hve 3 kids its very hrd to do this your own while your love ones are in prison….my dughters are seeing counslors because hes not here they are reealy having a hrd time hes not going to be paroled unti 2014 max out is 2025 but… i mde a peition bill u guys can make on on website.org there i hope that would help u cna make a signtures there to make it happen… i did make one for me in this state u have to have at least enough people signing the bill… good luck to you all with your loves ones getting mgt im praying for all of us all over the world. i do feel everyones pain… my husband never been in prison bofore this is first felony he hads not had any trouble with the law in the pass ti seem th sentencing i little harsh for pity stuff.. they should be home with their fmilys…
quanita said
i was told that mgt good time was back for the 2012 is that true could somebody please clear that up for me thank u
Kayli said
Today is January 6th i am trying to find out if good time is back in Illinois i have heard that it is but can not really find any information on it!!!!! Can someone please help me!!!! And if not can you tell me who i can write, call, go see or something to figure it out!!!!! I would really appreciate any feedback!!!! Thank you soooo much and everyone have a great day!!!
Shelly said
Kayli,
Have you heard any answer back and if so is there someone that we can write or call?
Shelly said
Today is January 23, 2012 i am trying to find out if good time is back in Illinois. My boyfriend release date states 8/12 but he was told that good time is coming back. If so that would make his release date 2/12… Can someone help me and let me know if this information has any truth to it!! Thank you very much!!!
Shelly said
Also if it’s not is there any talk that it is coming back or is that just hearsay? Please advise I really need to know this information!!
Gail said
Shelly, and everyone asking,
No, sorry, but good time credits are not back, no matter what IDOC is saying to inmates. As the first articles above state, Gov Quinn and the state legislators who work on IDOC issues are meeting to discuss ways to reduce the prison overcrowding. But they are talking about other ways that inmates can serve out the terms of their sentences, in treatment facilities and programs, or home monitoring, or else in local jail programs, etc. It does not look like they are saying that they will cut anyone’s sentence shorter; just not have them in state prisons. Whatever they decide, the state is going to need time to build up parole agents and all the bureaucracy needed to staff these other options. So, these options might become available maybe by the end of 2012, but they are not there now and won’t be there by summer or fall either. Remember the state is short on money and will have other things to pay for first before May 2012, and then everyone has to agree on what is done anyway too. So, don’t look for any fast action on this to release anyone.
Shelly said
Thanks
Kesheia Phillips said
Please inform me of what will happend with MGT. I pray something changes soon!
shanta fleming said
However, this is tragic news to many people that was waiting on family members to come home. I Think this will only make it worse for the system because many where waiting for this option and now they have change their minds so their fore it will be many that are upset, frustrated , and violent if they don’t release them it will be many more back in when they release them in the near future…………
Lisa said
yes, iwonder the same thing in idaho too my hhusband been sentenced april 2010 hes been railroaded by someone that lied about him nd hes being charged serious crime that he didnt commit but they sentenced him 15 years and got 4 year fix he got credited from the jail 7 months credit he stil have to do 3 half years yes.. i have 3 girls im raising them alone is so hard my kids r acting out one of my daughters is very close with their father they havent seen him over 15 months he was tranfered to orofino prison having plms in isci to many volience gangs in the prisons….. so he moved i havent seen himm since nov 2011 hes moved and it to farr away like 500 miles of where i live… hes got 2 more years to go yes its so hard i need him home i cant make it with one income its to hard,,,, hes never been in trouble this is his irst offense…. never been in rprison he said it very scary place u get mis judged by the other inmates there……… yes they are overcrdwed they need to fix he have not recieve any dor tickets he been bahving realy good hes doing ged lomost graduating he isnt a hurry but im trying to get him to appeal his post conviction appeal…… hes got 2 weeks to appeal so he will have to wite his judge a letter to appoint him a pd order to do the appeal the appeal takes so long o fight this…… he had a private lawyer he nelegected his case he supposed to file motion rule 35 and he didnt so he wrote the judge to appint him one but they didnt so he filed the motion anyway got denied so they didnt give him ubic defender like they suppsed to.. we i hoepe everyonne does get the mgt back the prisoners derserve to be getting good time or being good and that would save them alot of money so ayway thankyou alll