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Quinn told reporters in
Chicago that his instructions to exclude offenders who had hurt
someone were "across the board." Corrections Director Michael
Randle's office did not respond to questions about why early release
was granted to people convicted of such crimes as domestic battery
and weapons charges.
Randle, with Quinn chief of staff Jerome Stermer, has been
ordered to review the program, which Quinn suspended Sunday after
The Associated Press reported that a secret policy change had
allowed more than 850 inmates to be released after as little as two
weeks behind bars.
The AP found Corrections changed an informal rule that required
everyone to serve at least 61 days in prison. It also awarded months
of good-conduct credit upfront, before the inmate had any behavioral
record while incarcerated. The average time behind bars for the 850
prisoners was 106 days -- 16 in state prison -- or 47 percent of
their sentences.
"I wanted that limited to people who had not committed crimes
against fellow human beings," Quinn said. "Those were my directives
-- period, across the board -- for everything."
The practice was separate from the early release of 1,000
nonviolent prisoners Quinn announced in September. Several dozen
have been released so far under that program.
Although he was aware of the second, unannounced release plan,
Quinn said he stopped it Sunday because of questions about how it
was handled. He has not said specifically what troubles him, but he
has emphasized his commitment to public safety.
The review of the program, which was designed to save Corrections
money in a budget crisis, will be completed shortly, said Quinn, who
has not identified a timetable.
"The whole thing has been bungled terribly," said state
Comptroller Dan Hynes, who aims to topple Quinn in the February
primary. "It undermines credibility and confidence in this
administration, and we still don't have all the answers."
Hynes wants Quinn to publish a list of everyone released early
since the plan started in September, what their crimes were, whether
they have a criminal record and where they're now living.
Quinn's office would not comment on the demand.
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Corrections has been unable to say how many people were released.
The AP obtained and analyzed information on approximately 850
inmates. The agency first said 943 inmates were released in October
and November, with no firm number for September. It later said 591
were released in September and October, with a final November number
unavailable.
Hynes wouldn't say whether he would reinstate a minimum required
prison term if he's elected, or whether he would consider changes to
sentencing laws that give yearlong sentences to people with
relatively minor crimes such as drug possession. That's because
Hynes said he would first consult prosecutors, police and lawmakers
before making a change.
He said Quinn's team is now in "full-out damage control" over a
policy adopted in secret.
The Quinn administration argues that dropping the requirement of
at least 61 days in prison was not done secretly. The governor and
his aides say Randle publicized the program and discussed it with
numerous newspaper editorial boards, including that of The
(Springfield) State Journal-Register.
The newspaper disputed that in an editorial Thursday. It wrote
that Randle discussed the previously announced plan to release 1,000
nonviolent inmates but said nothing about eliminating the minimum
time in prison or awarding good-conduct credit upfront.
The administration has not offered other examples of Randle
disclosing the change in policy.
[Associated Press;
By JOHN O'CONNOR, AP political writer]
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
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