By Chris Fusco and Frank Main
Chicago Sun Times
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — An initiative by Gov. Quinn to save taxpayers about $5 million annually by letting 1,000 inmates out of prison early is off to a rocky start -- with dozens of burglars, repeat drunken drivers and financial criminals all being sent home for the holidays.
When the state Department of Corrections announced the program in September, it said that only “low-level, non-violent” criminals were to be let out and placed on home confinement ahead of their planned parole dates.
But a list of the first 204 inmates obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times shows a wide variety of prisoners being let out early, prompting questions from law enforcement officials and criticism from anti-drunken driving advocates and Quinn’s opponent in the Democratic primary for governor.
A Sun-Times analysis of the early-release list showed that, as of last week, there were 40 burglars, 18 felony DUI drivers, 28 financial criminals -- including forgers and thieves -- and one attempted robber among the inmates sent home early. Most of the other early-release inmates were incarcerated for drug crimes. Some had as much as one year shaved off their prison time.
Barry Kohl -- a former school superintendent in Downstate Benton who was convicted of stealing from the school district he led -- said Monday he was happy to be released from prison 30 days early and spend the holidays at home. “I didn’t seek it out,” said Kohl, 62.
Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez has sent a letter to the Department of Corrections expressing safety concerns about the state’s plans to release the 1,000 inmates early, said Sally Daly, a spokeswoman for Alvarez.
David Malham, a victim services specialist for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, bristled at the suggestion that drunken-driving is a non-violent crime.
“I would absolutely want these people to serve their full time,” Malham said. “This reinforces a certain mindset that this is not a serious crime. This is a violent crime.”
But corrections officials defended the program, saying all the prisoners released to date fit the definition of non-violent offenders as originally proposed. They also said they’re notifying local police and state’s attorneys before allowing inmates to be sent home.
The department “understands the concerns voiced by community leaders and law enforcement officials, and will continue to assess, monitor and evaluate this program to ensure that public safety is always the top priority,” corrections spokeswoman Januari Smith said.
DOC produced the list of 204 inmates in response to a Sun-Times Freedom of Information Act request. The governor’s opponent in the Feb. 2 primary, Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes, said the fact that burglars and DUI offenders are included on the list shows the program needs to be re-thought.
“It’s awfully hard to square this news with the way Pat Quinn initially presented his early release program,” Hynes campaign spokesman Matt McGrath said. “No one doubts that resolving the state budget crisis requires some creative and sensible ideas, but releasing dangerous criminals back into our communities is not a solution.”
Quinn’s campaign spokeswoman, Elizabeth Austin, said that the governor is “making difficult choices” to save taxpayers money while not compromising public safety.
Criticism of the program follows Quinn’s suspension of the Corrections Department’s “meritorious good time” initiative -- another prison-release program. Quinn last week appointed a former judge to investigate that initiative, which had been allowing some inmates who were sentenced to years behind bars to serve only days in state prisons.
Out of prison:
Here are some of the 204 felons who have been released from prison early under a program launched in September by Gov. Quinn. All are serving the remainder of their prison terms on home confinement:
Victor Moreno, 37
Crime: Financial exploitation of the elderly, disabled in Cook County
Case: Moreno promised to help a disabled person sell a house in the 1900 block of North Natoma in Chicago. The victim gave Moreno $15,000 in earnest money, but no closing date was set, prosecutors said. The victim learned Moreno was not a licensed agent and called police.
Sentence: Seven years
Original release date from prison: Sept. 12, 2010
Barry Kohl, 62
Crime: Bribery, theft, official misconduct in Franklin County
Case: Kohl was regional school superintendent in Downstate Benton. He, his wife and others bilked the system of more than $60,000, prosecutors said. Franklin County State’s Attorney Tom Dinn called it “one of the most distasteful episodes in Franklin County history.”
Sentence: Six years
Original release date from prison: Jan. 20, 2010
Aaron C. Jordan, 20
Crime: Attempted robbery in Coles County
Sentence: Three years
Original release date from prison: March 28, 2010
Charles O. Boxley, 24
Crime: Burglary in Champaign County
Sentence: Four years
Original release date from prison: Aug. 15, 2010
Freddy Jackson, 29
Crime: Burglary in Cook County
Sentence: Eight years
Original release date from prison: July 27, 2010
Shon Middleton, 32
Crime: Burglary in Perry County
Sentence: Five years
Original release date from prison: June 26, 2010
Leo Guzman-Rivera, 46
Crime: Driving under the influence, fourth offense, in Cook County
Sentence: Three years
Original release date from prison: May 20, 2010
James Augusta, 35
Crime: DUI, fourth offense, in Cook County
Sentence: Three years
Original release date from prison: July 22, 2010
Copyright 2009 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.