* Gov. Rauner’s team leaked some State of the State stuff to the Tribune…
The rookie Republican chief executive will suggest to lawmakers an overhaul of the parole system and higher spending on programs that help inmates find jobs and readjust to the community after they’ve served their time, according to an aide for Rauner with knowledge of the speech. Specifically, Rauner will talk about a program known as Adult Redeploy, which provides grants to counties to develop ways to keep nonviolent offenders out of state prisons.
Those efforts, coupled with the hiring of an unspecified number of correctional officers, are aimed at addressing what Rauner will call the “unsafe environment” for prisoners and guards alike because of the state’s high prison population. […]
The governor’s offensive on organized labor is likely to continue in Wednesday’s speech. He is expected to call on unions with state contracts to include more minorities in their apprenticeship programs, and require work crews on taxpayer-funded construction projects to “reflect the diversity in the surrounding area,” according to a Rauner aide. The move has the political benefit of tweaking unions while also appealing to minority voters.
Rauner also is expected to propose creating a program that would help minority-owned businesses get off the ground.
* The AP didn’t get a heads up, so it speculated about what could be in today’s address…
Watch for signs of influence from first lady Diana Rauner, who leads the Ounce of Prevention Fund, an early childhood education not-for-profit group.
She told The Associated Press last month that one of her primary roles as first lady will be to advocate for vulnerable children and families, and to help her husband understand the struggles social service agencies and families are facing.
Will the governor, who’s pledged to make Illinois both “competitive and compassionate,” touch on any of those topics?
…Adding…. Oops. They did give the AP one nugget that I somehow missed…
A Rauner administration official said Tuesday that the governor will reiterate his call to increase early childhood and K-12 education funding, despite Rauner’s warning for weeks that painful budget cuts may be coming in other areas.
Subscribers have known about that for at least a week.
- Carhart Representative - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:02 am:
Any word on prison barbers? I don’t know that the state can afford any.
- state worker - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:04 am:
Quinn supported Adult Redeploy. Glad it’s being boosted. How do we livestream this speech?
- DeKalb Guy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:04 am:
A Republican is advocating for Affirmative Action?
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:05 am:
Hmm.
SOTS(?)
Sunshine go away today
I don’t feel much like dancin’
Some man’s come he’s trying to run the state
Don’t know what he’s askin’
When he tells me I better get in line
Can’t hear what he’s sayin’
When I listen, he’s gonna make it his
These ain’t blues I been playin’
How much does it cost
He’ll buy it
The time is all we’ve lost
He’ll try it…
Yikes.
- Juvenal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:09 am:
=== Rauner will talk about a program known as Adult Redeploy, which provides grants to counties to develop ways to keep nonviolent offenders out of state prisons. ===
From the FAQ:
The Adult Redeploy Illinois program was initially funded with state SFY2010 General Revenue Fund (GRF) dollars allocated by Governor Quinn to start up the program. A one-time, multi-year federal grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG), administered by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA), supported the pilot phase of the program, 2010-2013. Adult Redeploy Illinois is currently funded through annual state GRF appropriations through ICJIA: $2 million in SFY2013 and $7 million in SFY2014.
LOLOL.
Rauner will shake up Springfield by building on Pat Quinn’s legacy.
- Slick Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:13 am:
How about something to help all new businesses get off the ground?
- Del Clinkton - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:14 am:
No problem hiring more guards.
Pay for it with a sales tax, itemized on every sales receipt.
For example:
Milk: 1.00
Eggs: 1.00
Total: 2.00
Prison Guard Tax: .25
Grand Total: 2.25
No more hiding the cost of prisons. Lets make it transparent.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:15 am:
Points to Rauner for putting prison reform out there. It’s becoming a big issue around the country, and it will help for Republicans to take some leadership to keep the far-right throw-away-the-key types at bay. He’ll need to keep his foot on the gas, though.
I’m not a fan of Rauner’s class warfare anti-union rhetoric, but the trade unions have it coming on minority outreach. I don’t think a governor can do much about it, but points again for using the bully pulpit.
- chi - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:17 am:
maybe this is a topic for another post, but:
How is it legal for Rauner (or any pol) to reference his millions and say “support me on these topics and I’ll support you”? I honestly don’t understand where the line is between bribery and persuasion…
And how is it not extortion to reference the millions and say “vote my way on these issues or you’re in trouble”.
If you mention extortion again I’ll have your legs broken…
- Say It Ain't So!! - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:20 am:
chi-
I was wondering the same thing.
- Juvenal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:26 am:
The big problem with Redeploy Illinois is that they do not get any credit for, work with, or incentives for preventing reincarceration of ex-offenders for mere technical parole violations.
That is half of the recidivism rate, and it is off the table.
It is tough to build economies of scale without funding parole work.
It is also pretty dumbfounding that the Governor would decide to tackle nonviolent prison population and not fully fund substance abuse treatment programs in Illinois and at least open the possibility of decriminalizing marijuana.
Why pay people to find alternatives for non-offenders when it is so much cheaper to eliminate the offense in the first place. We aren’t eliminating the prison-industrial complex, we are just expanding it into new markets.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:29 am:
chi…
Is it really any different than any donor/spender?
- A guy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:29 am:
Slinger is the squirrel who found an acorn today. His thoughts are precisely correct. Don’t faint. We agree more often than not.
Chi, you must be talking out of school on something else. Sounds like subscriber stuff.
- foster brooks - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:32 am:
More prison guards? State employees or a contractor Donna Arduin?
- Very Fed Up - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:38 am:
Money spent on programs helping prisoners reintegrate is money very well spent. Anxious to see what is in store for this.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:41 am:
Prisoner and guard safety, child education, expanding minority opportunities and more.
Should be some happy capfax readers here today, of both the liberal and moderate ilk.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:42 am:
In regards to funding for state services, I look forward to the debates on raising revenue. I’m not at all comfortable with any discussions that involve only drastic cuts. I don’t support drastic or draconian cuts just so that Rauner can fulfill a campaign promise on education spending.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:47 am:
Using wisdom as to whom we incarcerate to begin with, i.e.,
(NOT small time, non- violent offenders) is an essential element in addressing the entire prison issue.
- Del Clinkton - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:53 am:
Expansion of the Prison-Industrial Complex, without increasing revenue to pay for it.
Should make some people happy today, especially of the tea drinking or conservative ilk.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:58 am:
–We agree more often than not–
Objectively speaking, no we don’t, but let’s stay on topic.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 10:05 am:
If we are really paying that much in overtime to prision guards, hiring enough to drasticly reduce / eliminate it should be revenue neutral (I’m not including future pension / retiree health insurance benefits), so from that perspective it’s probably a positive move … for today’s budget. Same for keeping nonviolent offenders out of state prisons.
Still don’t know where he’s coming up with the money for expanded education funding.
The “work crew diversity” sounds like another unfunded mandate on local governments.
Are we sure we elected a Republican last November?
- Person 8 - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 10:10 am:
“reflect the diversity in the surrounding area”
Like his company…
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 10:10 am:
===Are we sure we elected a Republican last November?===
- RNUG -, I’m surprised at you. Rauner is a Raunerite. Rauner has co-opted the ILGOP apparatus, but Rauner is for Rauner, is for…Rauner.
The 67 ILGOP GA members are going to “learn” quick what Rauner expects/demands…”Green lights”…that’s it.
===Are we sure we elected a Republican last November?===
There’s a new Caucus being “born”, with a $20 million nest egg.
- northshore cynic - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 10:23 am:
Fire the prison barbers….give all the inmates their own scissors and razors. They can cut their own hair.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 10:24 am:
==Expansion of the Prison-Industrial Complex==
By expanding programs designed to ==keep nonviolent offenders out of state prisons==?
==without increasing revenue to pay for it==
To quote the great @Wordslinger, ==You got inside dope?== Or just confusing speeches? The budget address is still two weeks away.
- Juvenal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 10:27 am:
Slinger & A-guy -
Evangelicals love prison reform and ex-offender programs.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 10:29 am:
– OW –
I recognize that Rauner is his own person / caucus … but it was too easy a line to pass up!
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 10:34 am:
- RNUG -,
I took it to the conclusion and stepped your line. I, too, couldn’t pass up the “tip-in”
Apologies, bud.
- A guy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 10:34 am:
=== Wordslinger - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 9:58 am:
–We agree more often than not–
Objectively speaking, no we don’t, but let’s stay on topic.===
I’m just nicer than you. On policy…we agree more often than not. Take the compliment.
- TwoFeetThick - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 10:43 am:
=== Fire the prison barbers….give all the inmates their own scissors and razors.===
Inmates with scissors and razors. Nope, nothing could possibly go wrong with that. Seriously?
- DeKalb Guy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 11:08 am:
“Fire the prison barbers….give all the inmates their own scissors and razors. They can cut their own hair.”
- One word: Flowbee. http://www.flowbee.com/
- Carhart Representative - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 11:17 am:
==Inmates with scissors and razors. Nope, nothing could possibly go wrong with that. Seriously?==
I fail to see the problem
- Strobby - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 11:25 am:
One day he says prison guards make too much money and the benefits are to good, the next day he is hiring guards. This guy can’t make his mind up on anything. And a program to keep them from going back to prison. I worked DOC for 31 years good luck with that. I saw them get out the beginning of the week and back at the end. What’s the plan give them a $8.00 a hour job and they can make a grand a day selling drugs
- walker - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:00 pm:
The nuggets he put out there so far, could easily have been in a Democratic Governor’s speech. We shall see what he is trying to balance from the rest of the speech.
- ISProblem - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:28 pm:
Why isn’t anyone griping about the State Police abs their union? They make 2 to 3 times more per year than surrounding troopers. And why do they need to infiltrate so many other state agencies?
- Federalist - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 12:48 pm:
Rauenr tryiang to look concerned and liberal.
Minority grants for businesses. This is old hat. And naturally it discriminates Whites who were not born with money and who try hard. If you are going to have these grants they need a process to be fair to EVFERYONE.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 1:30 pm:
I always love it when folks propose new grant programs as they complain about too much spending. It’s always mine, not yours.
- Anon. - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:20 pm:
Person 8 at 10:10 am
==“reflect the diversity in the surrounding area”
Like his company… ==
BR: I don’t understand what you mean. When I leave the office and go to my wine club, the demographics look exactly the same.
- Fr. Murphy - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:36 pm:
The Department of Employment Security used to have something called the Apprenticeship Information Center located in downtown, Chicago which was begun to be a bridge between the state and the trade unions to assist minorities (and later women) to get into the trade union apprenticeship programs.
It was begun in the 1960’s in answer to a racial discrimination Federal Consent Decree filed against the trade unions.
The AIC, under the auspices of a review board made up of labor, educators and the private sector, was a place where would-be apprentices could go for information and to apply to be notified for the next open enrollment period for
their specific program.
These waiting periods would, often, be for years depending on the need for the specific trade to hire on new employees.
After notification, the candidate applied directly to the program of their choice and the AIC then did aptitude testing for each applicant to ascertain their math, spacial and physical dexterity. These scores were then sent on to the union for consideration for employment.
At that time Washburne Trade School did the training for the first few years of each program which would go on for 3 to 5 years.
The AIC was disbanded sometime in the 90’s and information about apprenticeships are now handled by a designated person in each of their local offices.
- crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 3:51 pm:
==Why pay people to find alternatives for non-offenders when it is so much cheaper to eliminate the offense in the first place. We aren’t eliminating the prison-industrial complex, we are just expanding it into new markets.==
Ding ding ding. Don’t forget, this guy invested in the industry. He knows from new markets.
- Juvenal - Wednesday, Feb 4, 15 @ 6:45 pm:
Sorry for the confusion, auto-correct, should have been “alternatives for ex-offenders.”
Look, we all know that there is a growing movement to decriminalize marijuana. Even Kentucky has done it.
Why in the world then are we creating a whole new mini-industry dependent on a steady supply of non-violent offenders? Why not just eliminate the offense?
California went a step further: they stopped sending folks back to prison for mere technical violations of their parole. Technical parole violations, as opposed to actual new crimes, account for half of all ex-inmates returned to prison.