* Wouldn’t it be easier if the governor just called in his Department of Corrections director along with the director’s team and made them explain to him why they didn’t follow his orders? Apparently not. We’ve got yet another commission. From a press release…
Governor Pat Quinn today named legal and criminal justice expert Judge David A. Erickson to lead a comprehensive review of the Department of Correction’s Meritorious Good Time program. Governor Quinn recently suspended that program while it undergoes a comprehensive evaluation.
“Judge Erickson is a noted criminal law professor, an ex- judge and a former prosecutor,” said Governor Quinn. “His real world experience and deep understanding of the criminal justice system prepares him for this very important task. On behalf of the people of Illinois, I thank him for taking on this vital mission.”
Judge Erickson, who will be an unpaid advisor to the Governor, will conduct a top-to-bottom review of the Meritorious Good Time program. He will head a team that includes Jerome Stermer, Governor Quinn’s chief of staff and Theodore Chung, general counsel to Governor Quinn.
Judge Erickson will review every aspect of the Department of Correction’s Meritorious Good Time program and present a report to the Governor with deliberate speed. The review’s goals include, creating policies and procedures that make sure the program’s first concern is always public safety and maintaining the integrity of the criminal justice system and the courts’ sentencing of offenders.
*** UPDATE *** From Hynes campaign spokesman Matt McGrath…
Today’s announcement of a “top-to-bottom” review apparently indicates that when Governor Quinn promised an immediate “top-to-bottom” review of the program six days ago, he was being less than truthful, which certainly fits the pattern of the way the Governor and his staff have handled this situation to date. On Monday, Dan Hynes called for a review to be completed within days, given the potential immediate safety risk to communities across Illinois, and encouraged the Governor not to appoint another commission but rather to get to the bottom of this issue directly and immediately —a call which has been echoed by editorial boards numerous times in subsequent days. Clearly, Pat Quinn has chosen to go his own way, as is his prerogative. But the people of Illinois have every right to wonder whose interests are really being served when the Governor draws this process out, and still refuses to answer important questions.
LIVE session coverage...
- Niles Township - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 2:29 pm:
The Director’s credibility took a hit with this program. I don’t mind brining in an outside expert to review it and give advice. And Rich, to be fair this is not a commission along the lines of the past couple. This is one outside expert and two of the governor’s close advisors.
- Discouraged Dem - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 2:32 pm:
Quinn will likely make the Director the scapegoat. He seems ready to abandon anyone to maintain power. His continuing incompetence is becoming a tired act.
- anonymous - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 2:38 pm:
In other words, 5 days after the governor said he will review the program “from top to bottom,” Quinn is now…..saying he will review the program from top to bottom. What exactly has happened in the last 5 days? Nothing it seems.
It’s real simple. Release the names of EVERYONE who got out as part of this program. Also, give an accounting of the decision process behind the program-who knew what when-and remove everyone who had top level signoff.
That is extreme but its the only prayer Quinn’s people have to cut out this cancer before it eats them alive.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 2:38 pm:
DD, if the director didn’t follow Quinn’s orders, he should go. Period.
- Hmmmm - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 2:39 pm:
It’s really a shame that Hynes probably won’t be able to capitalize on these kinds of things. I don’t think the Republicans will be quite as benevolent in the fall.
- Sick of it! - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 2:40 pm:
Thought it was interesting that it took a few daysfor the guv to state that violent offenders were not supposed to bereleased. Did he have to work out a deal with the DOC director to get him to take the fall?
- Rich Miller - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 2:41 pm:
I think we need a name for all these Quinn commissions.
Qummission?
Quimission?
Q ribbon task force?
lol
- Cindy Lou - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 2:51 pm:
–”The review’s goals include, creating policies and procedures that make sure the program’s first concern is always public safety and maintaining the integrity of the criminal justice system and the courts’ sentencing of offenders”–
Sounds good goal wise, but where in this does it say that an actual review will take place on what has already happened on the ’secret’ release during Sept-1st part of Dec? A top to bottom review of the MTG from this point onward does not address the ‘what the heck happened’ prior to this commission and it’s directed goals.
- Bill - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 2:54 pm:
Oh Good! A commission. Yep, that’ll work. What a novel idea!
- VanillaMan - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 2:55 pm:
Quinn’s submissions
- VanillaMan - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 2:58 pm:
How about Can’tmissions?
- steve schnorf - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 2:58 pm:
Cl, at least a big part of a review like this is to find out how and why this happened (Orders misunderstood? Orders not followed? Communication from guv to agency? Communication within agency? etc.) so it can be prevented from happening again. Normally the goal would not be to see if you can put the toothpaste back in the tube.
- Anon - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 3:01 pm:
Whether this is the Directors fault or not, the buck stops at the top, and the top is Quinn. He has take responsibility for his actions and those of the people he put in leadership positions. He can’t keep scapegoating people and taking no responsibility for his administration.
- Michelle Flaherty - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 3:06 pm:
You know what would have been a good idea? A top-to-bottom review of all release/credit programs BEFORE the governor started a new one.
This is an interesting adaptation of zero-based budgeting. Quinn is removing all credibility from every program, leaving his administration no where to go but up.
I wonder if by chance this commission will wrap up its work just days before the primary and conclude that Pat Quinn is a wonderful human being who deserves a full term in office?
- Lake Voter - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 3:07 pm:
I said it the other day, one of these idiots that was released is going to do something bad. The only question for Quinn is when do they do it. Before the Primary, which helps Hynes, or before the General, which helps the obvious.
The populous governor is going to get whacked for this eventually and he now has some judge to fall back on.
- Cindy Lou - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 3:21 pm:
I understand that, Steve, but to us little people (you know, the ones of us who only get what the papers actually say) I for one would like to have heard that actually stated and then followed up with the goals outlined. When Quinn claims he made it clear no persons of violence would be released and I learn instead persons of aggravated battery were indeed released, I’d really like to hear “We screwed up somewhere and part of this newly created commission’s role will be to find out how and where”. KWIM ? While we have Hynes sqealing for details and names of releases, we have Quinn deflecting off with an onward march with newly set goals which does not address why the policy was pitched and if the DOC Director or somewhere took advantage of their authority granted to them. I don’t want a pleasant spin, I want an acknowledgement to something went wrong without the rose colored glasses’ spun in to sidetrack the error.
- meow - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 3:25 pm:
Quinn commissions = distraction from real issues — aka “kitties.”
Now we can truly go: “Oh look, a kitty.”
- Okay Then... - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 3:25 pm:
I wonder how the AP got wind of the “secret” plan in the first place?
Randle appears to have followed Quinn’s orders on the one plan, but then using his “broad discretionary powers” created a second plan of his own. Interestingly, news reports this week indicate that Quinn was aware of the “secret” plan. So, did he ask questions about it or when he was first told of it did it just go in one ear and out the other?
Back on September 21st, Randle seems very clear on Quinn’s publicly disclosed plan, with respect to who could be released early and who couldn’t:
“Randle said Corrections Department officials whittled the release program down to just 1,000 by excluding anyone who could be considered a safety risk — anyone with a sex offense, parole violations, a domestic abuse conviction and more.
Under the law allowing early release, the department didn’t have to exclude so many inmates, he added.”We were concerned about public safety and we wanted the criteria to be tougher,” Randle said. He stressed that these are nonviolent offenders who were sentenced to less than one year in prison. “So they’re coming home anyway,” Randle said. Anyone released early will serve their parole on home detention with electronic monitoring. http://www.jg-tc.com/articles/2009/09/22/news/doc4ab83cfb3aa53898266067.txt
Here is the full account of what the AP learned and reported about the other early release—the secret plan:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/1936980,illinois-prisons-secretly-release-inmates-121309.article
On Monday, we get this, which may help to explain why Randle hasn’t been and probably won’t be:
Quinn said Monday that Corrections Department Director Michael Randle has broad discretion to run the department. He says if there are questions about how something is being done, it’s the governor’s job to review it.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-secretrelease-qui,0,2611333.story
- Okay Then... - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 3:28 pm:
oops, left out the word fired.
Randle probably won’t be fired because Quinn said on Monday that the DOC Director has “broad discretion.”
- wordslinger - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 3:55 pm:
Given the stories of the last few days, Quinn is in full CYA mode and Randle is under the bus.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 4:10 pm:
This is very bad, and could potentially make Quinn unelectable. This is a cluster bomb waiting to go off, but Hynes should take the high-road and leave this alone. No need for him to help push a story that is so potentially explosive that it will eventualy grow its own legs. No one can control the timing of when it hits the fan, so why bother? The fuse has been lit though, it’s only a matter of time.
I have a feeling this isn’t going to be a banner year for Illinois Democrats.
- dupage dan - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 4:24 pm:
very funny Meow.
- Anon - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 4:41 pm:
Commissions impossible.
- Okay Then... - Friday, Dec 18, 09 @ 4:55 pm:
The more I read this, the worse it is for the Quinn administration. If Randle knew that these people should never be considered for early release, why did he use his discretion do in the secret program, what he wouldn’t do in the publicly disclosed program?
“Randle said Corrections Department officials whittled the release program down to just 1,000 by excluding anyone who could be considered a safety risk — anyone with a sex offense, parole violations, a domestic abuse conviction and more.
Under the law allowing early release, the department didn’t have to exclude so many inmates, he added.”
http://www.jg-tc.com/articles/2009/09/22/news/doc4ab83cfb3aa53898266067.txt