Proposal for Reducing Illinois Prison Overcrowding (by Janet Jackson)

As the Illinois prison population continues to expand, we face growing
numbers of prisoners who will spend the bulk of their life in prison.
This occurs largely because of enhanced sentencing, truth in sentencing,
LWOP, and extending the outdates of some sexual offenders beyond their
mandated release date. Should we consider revising existing sentencing
and release policies to allow for *some* offenders to be released
rather than spend life in prison without parole?

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                           PROPOSAL 
                      (by Janet Jackson)

To relieve the strain on the budget of the state of Illinois by
the overcrowded prison system, we propose that:

     All FIRST TIME OFFENDERS* sentenced prior to 1/1/96 shall
have their sentence reduced to the minimum sentence for the
crime(s) of which they are convicted.

     IF they meet ALL the following criteria:

     1. Are not sentenced to death
Send comments to: at:  janet-jackson@venus.soci.niu.edu

     2. Do not have multiple victims in their case
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     3. The crime does not involve dismemberment of a body
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     4. Are not sentenced for any sexual offense
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     5. Are not incarcerated for any offense against a child
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     6. The victim is not over the age of 62
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     7. The victim is not a child
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     8. The victim is not a law enforcement officer
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     9. The inmate does not reside on a mental health unit or on
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        a psychiatric unit

    10. The inmate has achieved their GED or high school diploma
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    11. The inmate is not an active gang member
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    12. The inmate has received substance abuse counselling if
        incarcerated on a drug or drug-related charge
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COMMENTRY

     Those who have their sentence reduced will serve out their
sentences under the law in effect at the time their crime
occured.

     If the Warden of the facility feels that the reduction of
said inmates' sentence would result in a threat to society (based
on their prison record), the warden willl notify the inmate in
writing and notify the parole board in writing.

     A hearing will then be convened within 120 days, at which
time the warden, the inmate, the inmate's attorney or counsel,
witnesses for both parties, and other appropriate people will be
allowed to state why said inmate should or should not have the
sentence reduced. The decision will rest with the parole board.

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*FIRST TIME OFFENDER - a person who has never previously been
convicted of a felony or misdemeanor (excluding traffic
violations).

(Janet Jackson can be contacted at:
    Janet Jackson (N77201)
    PO Box 5001
    Dwight Correctional Center
    Dwight, IL 60420-5001

or: 
Send comments to: at:  janet-jackson@venus.soci.niu.edu
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Last Updated - Sat 4 Apr, 22:54:41 CDT 1997