Springfield . . . The second of two planned legislative forums investigating the Illinois Department of Corrections’ (DOC) decision to release hundreds of inmates before their sentences were up was held Wednesday in Chicago.

Lawmakers heard from DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett, as well as advocates and family members of victims and prison reform groups, on Aug. 25, at the second meeting of the Illinois Joint Investigatory Panel on Early Release.

State Sen. Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) said Birkett cautioned lawmakers to make public safety the top priority when considering any prisoner early-release program. Any inmate who is released early without having clearly demonstrated a clear commitment to rehabilitation is a “high-risk” release, Birkett warned.

The Panel is examining controversial early-release programs in Illinois, including one unpublicized program established under Gov. Pat Quinn that allowed the early release of nearly 2,000 prisoners, including violent offenders.

The early-release programs were the subject of a highly critical report from retired Judge David Erickson released Aug. 13, two days after the first Joint Panel meeting in Peoria. That report concluded Quinn’s Department of Corrections failed to adequately protect public safety and released inmates early for “meritorious” behavior “simply by virtue of being delivered into DOC (Department of Corrections) custody.”

Nearly a year ago, the Governor indicated that the one early release program the public knew about was actually a response to state budget problems.  That effort also included a plan to cut 1,000 positions within DOC, of which about half were employed at Corrections facilities within Sen. McCarter’s district.

At the time, Senator McCarter, standing in the rain in front of prisons in Decatur and Vandalia, warned about the risk to public safety:

“Government’s primary responsibility is to protect its citizens,” said McCarter.  “It’s well known, the Corrections system is overcrowded and understaffed.  Releasing inmates and cutting a depleted staff is not going to alter the unsafe conditions which already exist within the state’s prisons.”

McCarter, who has advocated for a forensic audit of state government to eliminate wasteful spending, said there is a better way to deal with the Department’s budget problems.

“What DOC needs to do is hire more Corrections officers which could be accomplished at far less cost than the $50 million that have to be paid out now in overtime costs,” said McCarter.  “It would also make it safer for Corrections’ employees and reduce the need to release inmates early.  It would also better protect our communities.”

Other recommendations made by State’s Attorney Birkett included having Corrections fully inform local law enforcement about inmate releases so prosecutors and police can provide DOC with information critical to the release decision.

Birkett also recommended any guidelines or criteria adopted as a result of the scandal should be made public, so that state’s attorneys, local police and victims know what the criteria for early release will be.

Also testifying were individuals representing victims, as they had done at the Panel’s first meeting Aug. 11 in Peoria. They discussed the impact on victims and their families when a violent offender is released early. A representative of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) raised concerns that individuals convicted of drunk and drugged driving are often considered prime candidates for early release even though they are often among those with the greatest risk for repeat offenses.

Prisoner advocates cautioned lawmakers not to completely eliminate meritorious good time and included witnesses who took advantage of rehabilitation programs while in prison to turn their lives around.

The Panel plans to use the feedback from the meetings to develop a legislative package to address the concerns raised by both witness testimony and the Erickson Report.

Legislation recently signed into law includes:

Open Meetings (HB 5483/P.A. 96-1473): Requires a public body to approve minutes of its open meeting within 30 days after the meeting or at its next regularly scheduled meeting, and also requires that a public body make its approved open meeting minutes available for public inspection and, if the public body has a Web site, post those minutes within 10 days after approval of the minutes.

Manufactured Home Installation (HB 6241/P.A. 96-1477): Mandates all manufactured homes located within a mobile home park pay the privilege tax, and all manufactured homes located elsewhere pay property taxes.

State Contract Renewal (SB 375/P.A. 96-1478): Requires that the renewal or extension of most state contracts with a value of $250,000 or more be reviewed by the Procurement Policy Board (PPB), the PPB has 30 days to object in writing to any renewal or extension within its purview, and the PPB must compile and submit a report to the General Assembly concerning renewals and extensions of contracts.

Critical Care Transport (HB 5183/PA 96-1469): Provides for the creation of minimum standards by the Department of Public Health for “Critical Care Transport,” or advanced specialized care while transporting patients to or between healthcare facilities; establishes additional fees to be collected for additional specialized emergency licensees; and designates equipment certification to be used for the licensure and inspection process.

Animal Disclosure (HB 5772/PA 96-1470): Requires animal shelters, animal control facilities, and pet shops to disclose certain information regarding dogs and cats that are being adopted or purchased.