IMPORTANT!! Please Read and Reply to Poll

[griz bear]

  my son got 22 yrs and has been incarcerated since 2007; so he must serve 11; his first attempt for appeal at the 4th district is being worked on as we speak.....if he's granted a new trial we are hoping for atleast a shorter sentence.......my thought and prayers are with those with these long sentences........it is a nightmare for all of us...but we find strength in each other griz

[PrettyBrwnEyes]

My husband is serving a 33yr sentence and caught another case while in. So he also has another 4yr sentence to run consecutively. He has been in since 1991 when he was 18. IF he would have stayed out of trouble he would have been out. Both cases where ages ago (91 & 93) back when you have to do at least 50% of your time.

[babybabybaby]

Jim's, my old man has been down since 1993, doing lwop at Menard.

[Esmom]

my son went in when he was 16 in 1997 he has LWP

[still]

I will hold off on answering this as I don't want to say anything that could influence or create bad karma for the upcoming months.

[jeminirose62]

Hello my son was sentenced to 28 yrs must do 85% so 23 yrs. He was 27 when sentenced in 2007 he is at Menard. I pray everyday that I will be alive to see my son walk out of that hell hole and back into the comfort of my home.

[Dazzler]

   My heart just breaks for you Moms whose sons are serving such very long sentences.  But they are all so lucky to have you by their sides.  I don't know how I'd bear the heartbreak.  But, I'm very happy so many of you have found each other for support.

[Kinnysbaby]

my husband has been in since 1991 and has 15 yrs more to go he is at Danville

Cherokee

[tina]

hi, i know that this is a poll blog,but for all the people here with lwop loved ones , I hope you don't mind me asking, but  do they get contact visits ?? or behind glass, my loved one may be going to menard or pontiac , i had asked else were on the site, but i thought maybe all of you would know for sure, due to your loved ones already being there.
 sorry if i am intruding, hope i am not breaking any rules, ( I am new to all this, trying to get prepared for worse case ) thanks for any help.
one more question : are they allowed to marry ? i have heard no, and only if 20 yrs or less. thanks again.

[Lissa]

Mine has been in since 2005 and was given 60 yrs.

[Scout]

Inmates serving LWOP do get contact visits, unless they're at Pontiac, which has no contact visits.  That's supposed to change, but I've been hearing that for years.  I don't believe you can get married in any of the max joints if the inmate has over 20 years...that can be challenged but most won't due to fear of retaliation.

[tina]

Hi there, I am sorry, and hope I am not being a pain, but my loved one said i may have worded it wrong, so here goes:  Does anyone that has a loved one on death row or who has natural life - in Menard,Pontiac or statesville get contact visits,   ( i am sorry for my true ignorance, but is LWOP the same as natural life ???? )  I am completely new and really have no idea what the difference is ???   I am hoping to get info from others that have loved ones already in that situation. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[myrrh]

My 20 yr old daughter is awaiting trial, and will hopefully be acquitted. But she faces a LONG time should she be found guilty of the charges. Meanwhile, she/we wait...

[HisGirl]

Could be 25 years, but he is still in court. He has already served 10. I am praying, believing, and willing to fight in any way possible for the Elderly Sentence Adjustment to be passed. Wiling to fight fair and legal of course---not only for mine, but for all the others that truly want to change their lives.

[Scout]

Hi there, I am sorry, and hope I am not being a pain, but my loved one said i may have worded it wrong, so here goes:  Does anyone that has a loved one on death row or who has natural life - in Menard,Pontiac or statesville get contact visits,   ( i am sorry for my true ignorance, but is LWOP the same as natural life ???? )  I am completely new and really have no idea what the difference is ???   I am hoping to get info from others that have loved ones already in that situation. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

I hope I can make this more clear for you.  All inmates at Pontiac get non-contact visits.  That's a result of the state moving that towards a seg unit many years ago and all contact visits were removed.  That may change as a result of lawsuits but probably not any time soon.  All death row inmates are housed at Pontiac so they are also non-contact, but they will remain non-contact (I believe) should contact visits resume there.

All other inmates serving LWOP (which, btw, is natural life) receive contact visits at Menard and Stateville, unless their classification prevents that (ie seg status or high escape risk).  I hope that answers your question.  Let me know if you need further clarification.

[rhondarenee]

My fiance has only been in since 2004 but he is doing 27 years at Menard for murder.

 

[wanlee]

My son was sentenced to 30 yrs.  He is at Graham. He's been there since 2001. 

[His Angel18]

My inmate was sentenced to concurrent sentences with the longest one being 75 yrs. So I chose 40.  But has to serve 35.  In since 1996 , 23 yrs old at time of his incarceration and currently at Menard.
               His Angel18

[neighbor]

Your poll doesn't have an option for my friend, so I checked LWOP.

He was incarcerated in 1977 (C-number) with a 30-year sentence, paroled in 8/2004, violated in 10/2006. Was finally "released from IDOC" in 12/2007 but taken to Rushville, where he is housed with 300+ other men with a snowball's chance in hell of seeing the outside again, except when being transferred to court to have another status hear and continuance.

[humbird37]

My son was given a sentence of 20 years. Suppose to serve 85%! Like others we are fighting this with God leading us! It has been less then a year for him and us, and praying God will intervene on his behalf......