IMPORTANT PRISON REVIEW BOARD APPOINTMENTS

[Dazzler]

 
 
 
Governor Quinn,

 

In a short time, you face an important decision about the Prisoner Review Board (PRB), the 15-member, quasi-judicial body that is tasked with critical oversight of Illinois' juvenile and adult correction systems. By October 25th, you must decide whom to place in four PRB seats. The John Howard Association (JHA) respectfully requests that you consider new candidates who can bring fresh and needed perspectives to the PRB that will help ensure Illinois has a safe, cost-effective correction system.     

 

Through JHA's work monitoring the Department of Corrections and the Department of Juvenile Justice, we have become convinced that one of the best and most practical ways to safely decrease our overcrowded and costly prison system is through the judicious use of parole. As the PRB is mandated to promote "an effective system of parole and mandatory supervise release," it is perfectly positioned to learn from what states across the country are doing to reduce recidivism rates and cut the crippling costs of incarceration.

 

JHA believes the PRB needs more members who have actual experience in the statutorily required fields of psychology, medicine, social work, and other related areas. While the current makeup of the PRB is heavily concentrated with former law enforcement officials, there are few members who can draw on expertise in other critical disciplines. By appointing four new members from diverse professional backgrounds, JHA believes you will significantly improve the PRB's ability to make balanced decisions that increase public safety, control crime, and ultimately save taxpayer money.

 

In advocating for change, JHA does not suggest that the PRB's current members are not capable. However, professional diversity of the PRB is absolutely essential to ensure that the PRB's decisions and evaluations of inmates are thorough, reliable, and evidence-based.

 

As Illinois' oldest prison reform organization, JHA will continue to support your administration's efforts to protect public safety and maintain a fair and cost-effective criminal justice system.

 

Sincerely,

 

John Maki

Executive Director

John Howard Association
 
 
 
 

[Favored23]

Dazz,

You want us to email this letter or are you just showing it to us?   

[Dazzler]

Our member Bill Ryan has sent this request, including a draft from another member Aviva Futorian about the appointment of new PRB members:


Please take a few minutes to read what Aviva Futorian has written about Prisoners Review Board (PRB). Governor Quinn in the next few days (October 25) must decide on four critical appointees to the PRB. I urge each of you to call the Governo'sr office (312-814-2121) and recommend he appoint the persons Aviva recommends to the PRB.

- Bill ryan

 

     Prisoner Review Board Suggested Changes               October, 2011

 

The Governor has a rare opportunity to fill five seats on the PRB with fair-minded, creative, smart members.  The PRB plays a huge role in decisions to relieve or exacerbate the current overcrowding of Illinois prisons.  Its members need to engage in risk-based, cost-effective strategies, and we need people who have strong, relevant experience in the fields of psychology, re-entry and criminal justice .

 

Based on our more than five years of closely monitoring the PRB, we urge the Governor to replace the four members whose terms have expired.  

 

·        These members were appointed (or re-appointed) by then-governor Blagojevich, and they have served out their terms.  

 

·        At least two of them do not meet the statutory criteria for PRB membership, and do not  have credentials that are relevant to making decisions on incarceration, parole, conditions of release, and discharge.

 

·        Some of them contribute to the “over-weight” of law enforcement people presently on the PRB.  

 

·        All of these members regularly omit or misrepresent critical details in their reports.  As a result, the rest of the board does not have an adequate picture of whether the inmate has become rehabilitated and has changed his or her life during his or her incarceration.

 

·        During the past year, at least three of the four, without exception, have voted against parole in every case and for three-year sets in every case.
 

·        One of them has a reputation for not being honest with the inmate being interviewed.  That board member may tell the inmate how impressive he is, and then at the en banc hearing, this board member invariably “can’t get past” whatever the original crime was. This phrase has become the mantra of this particular board member.  

 

·        None of the four contributes anything interesting to discussions at the en banc hearings.  They often seem to be uninterested in the proceedings before them.  

 

It is time to replace these people with creative, knowledgeable, thoughtful people who will make the PRB an outstanding agency that contributes to the fairness and public safety of Illinois’ criminal justice system.

 

The following candidates should be considered to replace Althoff,  Bowers, Bridges-Mickelson, and Maxwell:

 

a.      Gary Duncan (D), elected to 4 four terms as State’s Attorney of Jefferson County (Mt. Vernon) until he retired last year.  Was chairman of the Ill. Appellate Prosecutors, former appellate defender, member of Southern Ill. Drug Task Force.  He is one of the few State’s Attorneys who is justice-oriented rather than focused only on winning.

 

b.      Randell Strickland (D) was most recently the Illinois DMC (Disproportionate Minority Contact) Coordinator for the McArthur Foundation Models for Change; member of the Board of Illinois Balanced and Restorative Justice; Illinois Juvenile Justice Commissioner; previously a probation officer, high school and college teacher; former public assistance recipient and public housing tenant.

 

c.       Edith Crigler (D) is the Associate Executive Director of Program Development for the Chicago Area Project, is a member of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission, teaches restorative justice at Chicago State University, and is a certified paralegal. She has a master’s degree in social work from the University of Chicago.

 

d.      Jill Stevens (D), licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), worked in community mental health counseling low income people; counselor at Tamms for several years; counselor in sexual assault programs; clinical work with victims of trauma and violent crime, facilitates the Awakenings Program for parolees and those on probation, mostly for violent crimes;  resident of Murphysboro.

 

e.      Susan Catania  (R) currently oversees statewide sexual assault services for DHS and coordinates legislative analysis in one of its divisions.  She formerly monitored child welfare agencies at DCFS, lectured and conducted research at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government; was a delegate to three Republican Conventions; and served five terms in the Illinois House.
 

f.        William Zolla (I). Attorney specializing in commercial and appellate litigation; experienced in policy analysis and public affairs.

 

g.      Jeanetta Cardine (D) is currently on the staff of the PRB, in charge of the agency’s diversion program.  She previously was assistant supervisor of an adult transitional center for IDOC.  She has a master’s degree in public administration.  She has been a valued, knowledgeable and helpful member of the staff.

 

The candidates named above are fair-minded, rational, believe in rehabilitation, and would contribute positively to the deliberations of the PRB.   They are policy-oriented and are not partisans of one side or another. They would certainly not vote to parole all or even half of the candidates before them, but they would be thorough and thoughtful in their investigations and decisions on parole, revocation/restoration of good time, revocation of MSR, and clemency

- Aviva Futorian

[Dazzler]

Bill Ryan is asking members to phone the governor's office and voice your opinion about the appointees suggested.  Historically the PRB has been lopsided with law enforcement representatives on the board...it needs to change.

[Favored23]

Thank you!

[BoosMom]

Who is the Parole Board interviewing and assessing?  Is it only people who have violated (supposedly) the terms of their parole?
The release date for the original sentence is calculated automatically, right?   Taking account, of course, of courses successfully completed, tickets that extend time, etc. etc.

Sorry to be asking such an obvious question, but perhaps other IPT members don't understand either!

[Dazzler]

Actually the PRB doesn't have a lot to do....usually it's a three member panel that hears parole violations.  However, there are still a couple hundred "C" number inmates that go before the board periodically to seek parole...this is when the full board votes on their release...it's tough to get paroled if you're a C number....these are people that usually received very long sentences before Truth in Sentencing went into effect....

[MszMelly]

So I know Im a little late because Its already December. But what happened? Did they make a decision? And I know I just posted a question about my LO coming home early and Im pretty sure Dazler you commented on it say No that he wont. But I just wanted to know Will my LO be able to go infront of these PRB people and see If he can home home on parole a little earlier? and Maybe add on a curfew and other things?....Sorry I keep asking I just want my LO home already :/

[LSlater0227]

How can you find out if your loved one is on the docket to be see by the board? D was picked up on a driving while revoked on parole and sentenced to a 4 year sentence but was held while he was going to court on a parole violation. Last month when the board came down to Vandalia he thought he would have been on the docket but nothing..

Thanks.

[BlueMist]

Thank you Daz BlueMist