Panel's report slams Quinn's prison-release program

BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Political Reporter apallasch@suntimes.com
Gov. Quinn made public his long-delayed report on his administration’s embarrassing prison-release program Friday.

A panel led by former Judge Dave Erickson confirmed what everyone has already said: Allowing violent prisoners out of prison early was a dumb idea.

About 500 of the 1,754 prisoners released under the “Meritorious Good Time” plan had violent histories, the report said.

The “Meritorious good time” program will remain on ice until it is reformed, Quinn said.

Erickson said if the program is ever brought back, “good time” — trouble-free periods that can lead to early release — should be revocable if prisoners misbehave.

“The department had taken the position that it was not revocable,” Erickson said. “That’s the carrot-and-stick approach without the stick. That doesn't make any sense. From this point forward, it will be revocable.”

Quinn’s Republican opponent for governor, Bill Brady, dismissed the report as “too little, too late.”

“The report fails to provide citizens with basic answers to questions about the approval and responsibly for this program,” Brady said.

Both Quinn and Corrections Director Michael Randle re-iterated that Quinn told Randle not to release violent prisoners, but that Randle did anyway.

Quinn said he thought about firing Randle but decided that Randle’s one mistake should not outweigh an otherwise well-regarded career.

“I told him I was very disappointed in the fact that he made a mistake,” Quinn said. “He was clearly told that no violent prisoners would be able to be released early, period. ”

Quinn said he’d like Brady’s help getting legislative approval to spend $30 million from the state’s capital budget upgrading the prison computer system as Erickson recommends.

“He went around getting people to vote ‘No” on that,” Quinn said.

“We found out, shockingly, that 39 computer systems within the Department of Corrections exist and they don't talk to each other,” Erickson said.

Asked how he’d get money to pay for some of Erickson’s recommended reforms, Quinn said he hired 700 new guards this year and will hire 800 more next year.

How will that help save money? It will cut the overtime hours current guards work, he said.

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