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Crime, punishment and ethics

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Illinois

* Gov. Quinn is just one governor of many currently considering early release of prisoners. The proposal has drawn some intense heat from legislators. But does early release raise the crime rate? Maybe temporarily, say experts…

“The research is completely clear: You can do this without increasing the recidivism rate or the crime rate,” Austin says. “It’s easy, it really is—it’s unbelievably easy. The politics get in the way of it. People just don’t understand the basic math here.”

Instead of razor wire and watchtowers, think of the prison system as a river, Austin says, with sentences acting as a dam. The longer the sentences, the higher the dam and the bigger the reservoir of inmates. Early release amounts to removing a chunk of the dam, which spells more work for downstream parole officers. But not for very long.

“Within three or four months, the flow is back to normal,” Austin says.

But what about the strain on parole officers?

In Illinois, where the state plans to lay off more than 1,000 prison employees, there are no plans to hire extra parole officers to deal with inmates who would be freed early. However, Derek Schnapp, corrections spokesman, said the state is considering terminating parole for some current parolees to make room for inmates released early.

* Then again, not all parole officers are working on hot days…

When temperatures reach the 90s, it makes sense that construction workers and others who work outside need to drink more water and take other safety precautions.

But state parole officers — whose jobs mostly involve driving around to check on recently released prison inmates — apparently run an even higher risk of heat-related danger.

“Due to the extreme hot temperatures and staff safety, you are expected to be in the field one week and the office the falling [sic] week,” Deputy Director of Parole Jason C. Garnett e-mailed to his employees June 24 — a day after Chicago’s temperature hit 94.

The order was reportedly rescinded after the weather cooled, but that seems odd to me.

* Speaking of criminals…

The Chicago Sun-Times obtained copies, via a Freedom of Information Act request, of the ethics training programs that Blagojevich is certified as having taken each year between 2004 and May 30, 2008, when he last received ethics training.

There’s no record of how Blagojevich answered questions in those training courses. But the ethics regimen offers some clear tips that should have warned him of the “pay-to-play” pitfalls that brought federal charges against him and resulted in his ouster from the governor’s office.

Too bad they couldn’t get his test scores. It probably would’ve shown what a waste of time that ethics exam really is.

And…

Former presidents and chancellors of the University of Illinois are laying much of the blame for the current admissions scandal at the feet of trustees, calling for sweeping changes on the board and the way it is appointed.

A letter from four former U. of I. leaders to the commission investigating admissions abuses falls just short of calling for the governor to fire the trustees, but says that some of them are more interested in personal gain than the well-being of the university. […]

They blamed the current situation on the patronage culture that evolved during the administrations of Govs. George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich.

And they’re probably right.

* Related…

* How to grease the skids in Will County

* Judge OK’s $78,473.80 for Blago lawyers fees

* Provide public easier access to information

* Experts to testify about clout at U of Illinois

* Former U. of I. leaders put much of blame for clout list on trustees

* Red-light camera law born with help of political insiders

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 12:14 pm

Comments

Does early release during a historically bad recession change the dynamics of those studies? In the late 90’s, some of these nonviolent offenders might have been given a chance by employers desperate for labor. Now, notsomuch.

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 12:18 pm
I’m not necessarily against the early release of some prisoners — but to do it to balance the budget is the wrong reason.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 12:19 pm
The term “ethics test” is a misnomer — it is NOT a test and it is not “scored.” If you get a wrong answer, the program simply prompts you to try again until you get the right answer. The “test” exists to REMIND state employees of what the ethics rules are, not grade their knowledge of them.

Comment by Secret Square Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 12:19 pm
Wordslinger is correct. Government should raise revenues based on thoughtful consideration of marketing and personal impact, not based on it’s addiction to spending other’s wages. Early release is a legitimate issue that is being politicized in order to extract additional revenue from Illinoisans. It is wrong to politicize it, and wrong to use Early Release as a threat against Illinoisans.

Same with video poker.

Does anyone believe that expanded gambling or early release would be authorized if we have the revenue to satisfy the GA and Quinn? Not me. It is a crappy excuse to justify vital changes in our way of governing and living in Illinois.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 12:41 pm
The situation now playing out with the U of I trustees is a window into how all aspects of state government were run under Gov. Blago. Ryan’s adminsitration did start it but at least they tried to keep it hidden and didn’t seem to mess with day to day operations.

Blago’s boys and girls from day one were open and notorious with their schemes. Always gaming the system - always with personal benefits as the primary goal. $25K contribution and you’re a Director or head of some commission rigging contracts, hiring deputy directors, appointing 50 year old interns ect. For a $1,500 “gift”(occasion unknown) you get a job with DNR “to beautify the world with flowers.”

The ongoing problem is that nearly all of these schemers and con artists are still on the job!! For heavens sake Governor Quinn start fumigating.

Comment by Leave a Light on George Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 12:46 pm
The abuse of the public with the red light camera revenue grab had to have a insider political connection. No one could move so fast in so many different governmental circles without some careful greasing of the skids.

Many police chiefs seem to have come up with the same idea at the same time, so perhaps a little digging would reveal some nice golf games or junkets on the red light companies tab.

We certainly know that a sponsor of of the red light camera legislation, Sen. Terry Link has gotten campaign donations from RLC companies. Just follow the money. How much has been spread around like fertilizer to other politicians?

Comment by Plutocrat03 Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 12:50 pm
They will not cut welfare or benefits for illegal aliens but they will set loose prisoners & cut IDOC employees? Whose side are these people on? The released prisoners should be housed across the back yards & next door to the legislators & executive branch members & newspaper writers. As they all drive off to work in the morning, the prisoners can “watch over” their unattended residences.

If THIS is how balance the budget, then close more of the prisons & set ALL property crime violators free to continue the experiment.

Comment by North of I-80 Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 12:59 pm
DOC is one of the most wasteful and mismanaged State Departments as the run up in overtime since FY06 demonstrates. As for parole, Blago nearly doubled the number of parole agents from about 250 to 470 with little efficiency to show for it. Parole agents are paid from the moment they leave their driveways and dozens travel a 100 miles and more before they reach their parole offices. Parole is ripe for a performance review and strict management oversight. There is plenty of slack time in parole.

Comment by Louis Howe Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 1:11 pm
“You can do this without increasing the recidivism rate or the crime rate” per Austin.
With unemployment in US at 9.5% (actually over 16%, www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t12.htm)and over 10%(actually higher) for Illinois, where are the prisoners going to get jobs? Unfortunately, some will revert to what got them in prison in the first place. Is the Governor going to guarantee them employment?

Comment by Wondering Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 1:15 pm
Took several minutes here to digest the ‘too hot out’ and ‘aging vehicles’ w/the parole agent story.

I’ll have to print it out and share with those who work out each and every day (& not in construction either) no matter the heat or cold. Don’t know which will get the less ’sympathy’ from them though, the temps or the aging vehicle. Wonder if any agent has ever had heat exhaustion or sever frostbite? tsk, tsk.

Comment by Princess Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 1:38 pm
“Within three or four months, the flow is back to normal,”
Austin says. so, don’t worry, it might be more likely to
get assaulted for a while, but it won’t happen later.

when so called thinkers tell us there will be a problem for
a little while but not later, and our concerns are just political, it infuriates me. the prison system is designed to contain. while
those who are problematic are contained, the ones in danger are
the ones inside, other prisoners and prison staff.

when the “problem” get out, they can hit the rest of us. see
the recent parole of Burris in S. C.

dear policy makers, hurry up and decide which adults AND juveniles pose a risk to the public. change laws necessary to put and keep those people away from the rest of us. for a good long time. not because of budget considerations. see Gov. Thompson in the 80s for how not to do it.

Comment by Amy Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 2:34 pm
=== Does anyone believe that expanded gambling or early release would be authorized if we have the revenue to satisfy the GA and Quinn?====

LOL

yes the lack of funds in IL is based upon the satiation of the GA and Quinn, the 20% loss of revenue to the State and the collapse of the fincial markets is all fake in order to push for uneeded revenues.

I agree that absent a huge crushing fincial deficit there would not be a need to either increase ganmbling or do early release. Answer this simple question VM. Where do you cut to get the money to replace the billion for construction under gambling and the hundreds of millions cut by doing early release? I oppose both of those, but if we have no new taxes then this is what you are left with.

it is not politicizing, it is interjecting a dose of reality for all those foolish enough to beleive that government can cut from some mythical invisble expense.

Comment by Ghost Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 2:49 pm
It’s a waste of time if Ousted governor actually passed them and did what he wanted to do anyway?

And is this where we talk about actually electing trustees for U of I?

Comment by Levois Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 3:17 pm
That “aging fleet” of parole agent cars that Honest Donnie Snyder lobbied to be upgraded to the identical spec as State Police cruisers (except DoC got the cages in the back before ISP did and DoC has enough rsdio gear to talk to Mars) looks much better than the average State Police car or the average Demo Derby express a regular state worker might have to drive.

What a ridiculous coda to such a totally absurd piece of bureaucratic blather. It’s an embarrassment to the agents who are out there, hot or cold, busting their humps in one of the nastiest State jobs.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 8:48 pm
And one more thing: An open letter to the Governor ran in yesterday’s Champaign News-Gazette from Dave Olien, former top UI staffer and one-time chief lobbyist under Ikenberry.
(I would link it, but don’t want to run afoul of the Captain’s policies..) Easy to find under “Opinions.”

Olien was one of the best ever to represent the Big U in Springfield; Knowledgable, 100% honest, and always true to his word. His view, as is mine, is that the buck for this scandal should not stop with Chancellor “Pee Wee” Herman, as the Blago-dominated Board appears to be maneuvering, or with selected Trustee fumigation, as the 4 former top administrators suggest. (With all due respect for his love of the University and his career of service, the scandal got rolling bigtime on President Stukel’s watch and he should own up to some responsibiity.

Olien calls on Quinn to remove all Trustees he did not originally appoint (that would be all but 1.) and to appoint an interim President to hold the reins while a National search for a permanent President is undertaken. He shares my view, and that of many concerned alumni, that the University appears to be sailing in choppy seas with no one at the helm. My assumption is that the interim President would give Mr. Herman his walking papers if he had not yet resigned.

For those of you who think this is much ado over nothing, consider that Chancellor Herman had $300,000 laying around in something called the “Chancellor’s Discretionary Fund” that he used to buy the silence of the Law School after making them take a few hacks. In the movie Animal House, Dean Wormer ripped off the Student Fund to bribe Mayor DiPasto-what’s the difference?

Comment by Arthur Andersen Monday, Jul 13, 09 @ 9:18 pm