Question of the day
Wednesday, Aug 22, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Not long after a federal court denied former Gov. George Ryan’s appeal and refused to release him from prison, Gov. Pat Quinn was quoted as saying that Ryan should serve out the remainder of his sentence and that Ryan “has to do the time.”
But Ron Jackson looks at a new law signed by Gov. Quinn that allows for early release of state prisoners to argue that Quinn shouldn’t have so harshly judged Ryan…
In order to qualify for early release under the new law, inmates must “successfully complete rehabilitation treatments, which could include substance abuse treatment, adult education, and behavior modification or life skills programs. Inmates may also receive sentence credit for passing the Test of General Educational Development (GED) while in DOC custody.” With the incentive of getting out early, it is hoped that inmates will maintain good behavior in prison, earning a day off their sentence for each good day served.
But what incentive to not re-offend does the felon have once released? They won’t be able to find employment. Their newly enhanced prison skills aren’t transferable to society. Even with a GED, a nonviolent car thief or copper thief has to survive. How long can we reasonably expect their good behavior to continue? Gov. Quinn said the new early release law will make criminals less likely to commit crime in the future. How so, Governor?
I am not advocating that George Ryan be allowed early release just because he is a fellow Kankakeean or because he is old. I am saying that if anyone meets the standards for early release, it is him. He committed a nonviolent offense, is least likely to re-offend, and has a support system in place upon release. Whether you like George Ryan or not, you know on the day after his release he will not be selling drugs, stealing copper, molesting children or assaulting women.
Gov. Quinn knows that, too.
* The Question: Ignoring the state vs. federal issue here, do you agree with Gov. Quinn or Ron Jackson? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
- CircularFiringSquad - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:26 pm:
Not only should Ryan get the early release, but he should have been allowed to do the work release in Kankakee.
- Crime Fighter - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:34 pm:
I actually agree with Quinn on this. Given the epidemic of public wrongdoing from the governor to agency managers any form of leniency is not in the public interest. I think public servants should be held to a higher standard for a change. When they show they can’t be trusted in public office, they shouldn’t be entrusted with early release.
I hope this standard is applied to Quinn someday.
- PQ's Primary Opponent - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:34 pm:
Your poll results show just how popular and on track the Gov is. Hey, maybe he should call another special session this week. I am sure he did all the ground work like meeting with key players and drafting legislation.
- Madame Defarge - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:35 pm:
It might be better to let Ryan do his work release in Springfield–whatever you think of him and what he did, he did know how to work with the legislature and get things done.
- state worker - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:38 pm:
Yes. Gov. Ryan should get good time if he behaves in prison (if the Feds had such a system) because it is good sense. And while I’m at it: incarcerating people for low-level offenses only INCREASES the chance of recidivism. That’s because you put them in prison just long enough to ruin their lives. They lose their housing, jobs and this only exacerbates the problem that got them in prison to begin with, usually an addiction.
There is no reason our prisons should be overcrowded since some 70% of prisoners have non-violent crimes. And probably half of the whole system is there less than a year anyway.
The gov’s office, AFSCME, legislators and everyone else should celebrate the fact that we can now reinstate good time credits, which are just a couple months per person. That will straighten out a log of problems that everyone is whining about.
It’s not that hard if everyone supports it.
- tubbfan - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:44 pm:
blanket remedies to society’s ills don’t work, Governor Quinn
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:51 pm:
–He committed a nonviolent offense, is least likely to re-offend, and has a support system in place upon release.–
I voted with Jackson, for the above, in addition to the punishment Ryan received by being convicted.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:52 pm:
I sided with Jackson. I don’t see why letting low-risk prisoners who have worked to better themselves in prison and/or who have behaved while in prison should continue to clog up the system. I know people say all kinds of things about not having done the crime, or prison shouldn’t be fun, or you should be expected to be good in prison anyway, but the reality is that it does take a great deal of effort to maintain yourself while behind bars I would imagine. I say give them a chance.
- Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:55 pm:
Quinn is wrong, especially in light of the fact the Ryan was convicted of a crime that has been subsequently ruled unconstitutional.
- thechampaignlife - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 1:59 pm:
I voted with Jackson. It is essential to treat everyone consistently or you’ll be left constantly making subjective decisions about what crimes are and aren’t eligible. If you don’t like someone getting off in 3 years for their 6 year sentence, push to up the 6 years rather than lower the percent of time they can shave off.
- Naive One - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 2:13 pm:
I’m with the Gov on this one. As bearers of the public’s trust, elected officials must be held to the highest legal and ethical standard. Punishment is also to deter similar actions by others in the future. Maybe one day the world will be less cynical.
- Way Way Down Here - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 2:19 pm:
Jackson. We can’t afford to keep everybody in prison. Ryan is no risk.
- bored now - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 2:37 pm:
jackson. i don’t think anyone is more appalled by corruption than i am, but i think that even politicians should have the same access to leniency that other prisoners do in prison. how lenient is for the system to decide, not other politicians…
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 2:40 pm:
I’ll defer to Scott and Janet Willis.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 2:48 pm:
Uh, Ryan was convicted of a whole bunch of crimes. His claim that he was unconstitutionally convicted has been rejected by both the trial court and the court of appeals.
- Leave a Light on George - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 2:51 pm:
“Quinn is wrong, especially in light of the fact the Ryan was convicted of a crime that has been subsequently ruled unconstitutional.”
Unconstitutional only if the criminal didn’t receive benefits as a result of the crime. Ryan was found, on several appeals, to have received benefits as the results of his crimes.
- zatoichi - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 3:21 pm:
The rules need to be followed as they are set up and have been applied. If Ryan qualifies then he should be able to get whatever the law allows him to have. Age and health should have little to do with the decision unless the rules specifically address those issues.
- MrJM - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 3:32 pm:
Ron Jackson is correct that George Ryan is highly unlikely to recommit his crimes and that is unlikely for at least two reasons: 1) he will not have opportunity to commit such crimes, and 2) he has no need to commit such crimes. But with regard to Ryan’s early release, those are aggravating factors, not mitigating factors.
First, Ryan’s crimes were a fundamental breach of the public trust. He can no longer commit those crimes because the public no longer trusts him to be in a position where he could commit those crimes. Portraying this as a mitigating factor is like the man who killed his parents claiming the fact that he’s an orphan as mitigation.
Second, we need not worry about Ryan committing future crimes because he’s relatively well-off and therefore unlikely to re-offend. In other words, Ryan doesn’t really need the money, so he isn’t going to feel the need to commit crimes for money. Unfortunately, that was also true before he committed his crimes. Ryan wasn’t a disadvantaged youth struggling to make ends meet. He was a well-to-do professional who took money he didn’t need so that he could move up politically and feel like a big-shot personally. The fact that Ryan doesn’t now need the money merely highlights the fact that he never needed the money, which further shows the utter inexcusability of his crimes.
If people want to release Ryan because he’s a nice old man from Kankakee — or because he did the right thing with Illinois’ Death Row — then by all means, do so. But don’t cynically propose that he be released because a man as privileged as George Ryan is unlikely to re-offend.
– MrJM
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 3:40 pm:
George Ryan is where he is because he betrayed all of us. I don’t think he should be eligible for an early release.
- Sunshine - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 3:47 pm:
Jackson. There is no reason in the world that Ryan shouldn’t be out and serving probation in his home.
The Feds appear to have a vendetta here and I don’t think it is in the name of “justice.” The man has served his time, with good behavior. In my opinion, They are using the law to exact revenge, and not to apply reasonable punishment.
Same likely goes for their case against Cellini. A vendetta and requested punishment for the supposed crimes he committed but was never indicted for, tried for, taken to court for, or found guilty of. Sure, he got involved with some poisonous people, but we all did….twice.
- downhereforyears - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 4:53 pm:
I agree with Jackson. Jackson’s article, in my opinion, pointed out the typical flip flop the Governor impromptu practices. Ya can’t have it both way Governor.
- Wensicia - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 5:12 pm:
I don’t think Quinn should be commenting on Ryan’s release, or the conditions attached to it, in the first place.
- JimBo - Wednesday, Aug 22, 12 @ 6:53 pm:
George Ryan should not be denied early release because of who he is. Nor should he be released because of who he is. He deserves the same considerations as any other convicted felon in the system.
- Maxine - Thursday, Aug 23, 12 @ 7:26 pm:
Wens “I don’t think Quinn should be commenting on Ryan’s release, or the conditions attached to it, in the first place.” I whole-heartedly agree. Quinn shouldn’t judge or comment, he has done worse for Illinois than Gov. Ryan ever could. George was a man of his word. Quinn and his folks are not.