Work Release from Sheridan

[nina19]

My finance is at Sheridan.  He has been speaking to the counselor regarding transferring to work release since he is within 1 year of his release date. The counselor told him he needs to have an outsider request an application from Springfield because the warden there is not participating or handing out applications for work release. My questions is does this sound right ? Can he do this since he is participating in the drug court program as well?

[veracity]

My son said the same thing. Says he will still try to apply but he's been told they don't do work release at Sheridan. Most guys parole to halfway houses. They have a program where family meets on Saturday mornings with counselors hoping to get to parole home but it has a waiting list, too.

[Mrs.Mcgahee]

Veracity, is that what the meetings on Saturday's are for? I had an opportunity to do it but passed on it! He wanted me to do it, I thought it was for helping them and the families with the process of coming home! I told him what is the point and you have to go to the half way house. I thought that is suppose to help him to. I guess we missed out!

[Zekemoen]

My brother just arrived at Sheridan last week from Vandalia. He wanted me to ask a few questions.
How long do inmates stay in Sheridan?
Where does he go after completing the courses? He will still have time left to serve, about 14 months.
Can he request work release?
Is it day for day while participating in counseling?


His counselor encouraged him to take the transfer after 11 months served of a 4 year sentence.
Any help would be great!

note: He is from Wisconsin, what will he need to be released back home?

[veracity]

Sheridan is alot closer to Wisconsin than Vandalia so that is good.

He can serve out the rest of his sentence at Sheridan after completing the program. They'll move him into another building when he gets to phase 4 pre-release.

I hear he can request work release but there are few opportunities for it from Sheridan.

They get their normal day for day and additional time off with contracts if he's eligible.
My son isn't eligible so I don't know about how much time. I've read about it a zillion times but my brain won't let that info sink in. I don't want to know what we're missing!

He'll need an interstate compact to serve parole in Wisconsin. There's plenty of info about it here on IPT so be sure to check out that area of the forum.

[Zekemoen]

Thank you Veracity-

It is a big difference in travel times, 7 hours to 3. He was able to enroll in courses at Vandalia and was able to take 90 days off his sentence in about 10 months. I'm hoping he can do the same at Sheridan. He is a first time, nonviolent offender. I'm hoping he is available for work release by the end of fall ( 4 little ones and a wife waiting). Not sure how many people are released before their time is served. I've read its up to the IDOC.
I hope all is well with your LO-
Thank you for taking the time to reply!

[veracity]

You're welcome!
My son is also a 1st time non violent, too. Hell a crime wasn't even actually committed. The judge said prison was needed "to deter others".  His charge was attempt class 1 but there's a little known clause in the statute ammended in 2008 that says inchoate crimes (planned but not committed) or crimes with elements of a class X are not eligible for school or treatment contract time. Makes no sense to me cause I think all crimes have the elements of a more serious crime. He'd be home now instead of next year if he would have been able to get contract time.

Your LO should be fine since he already is eligible. Sounds like his counselor gave him good advice.

[Zekemoen]

I'm having a hard time getting my head around your situation; not eligible? My brother was charged just for being in the home where the crime occurred. The judge was harsh, informing him if he went to trial he would have to beat all 17 charges that were placed on the other 2 individuals. He was facing 20 years! I feel bad for him because they offered 4 serving 2, he apparently ******** off the judge by taking to much time to decide what he was going to do because the judge changed his mind on the sentencing offerring him 8 serving 4? It was either take that offer or go to trial.
He has been at Sheridan for a week now and is complaining about the place, which is understandable. I told him he needs to earn the trust of the guards, just as he did at Vandalia, where he went to gym every day and did what ever he wanted, even attending 2 courses a day to earn good time. I'm not sure if what he was told was correct, there is a 6 month wait list to get into counseling? I told him not to buy into it and just do what he went there to accomplish. Anyone else have a LO that is having a hard time adjusting at Sheridan?

[veracity]

Was there yesterday watching a mouse in the visiting room. We were joking about how the mice eat the roaches and spiders.

 Sheridan does have it's own rules and some guys do have a hard time adjusting. One thing the guys struggle with is that Westcare rules and IDOC rules can be conflicting and it's hard to decide which to follow. You are giving him great advice. No prison is going to be a picnic. There are the jerk Co's there like anyplace else but most of them are very decent.

Being ineligible for contract time drives me nuts, too. It's like IDOC resentenced him but it's what the statute says so they must follow it. I will never understand how a class 1 conviction could be treated like a class X and thought the IL supreme court ruled long ago they couldn't do that but it is what it is. He'll be out long before any type of legal challenge would be decided and God knows there are many other IDOC battles to fight so we wait for his time to be served and pray for MGT to come back.

[mom4life]

[Was there yesterday watching a mouse in the visiting room. We were joking about how the mice eat the roaches and spiders.
 
Veracity...we were there on Thursday watching that little mouse. My grandchildren were giving it cheeto's. They were quite entertained! LOL
 

[destinswife]

[Was there yesterday watching a mouse in the visiting room. We were joking about how the mice eat the roaches and spiders.
 
Veracity...we were there on Thursday watching that little mouse. My grandchildren were giving it cheeto's. They were quite entertained! LOL
 

Lol I guess the have a mascot then...