© 2024 NPR Illinois
The Capital's Community & News Service
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Can Politics And Prison Reform Mix?

Bruce Rauner and Pat Quinn
Brian Mackey/WUIS

As a candidate for governor once again tries to make political hay over a prison early-release program, a group of state lawmakers met in Chicago Tuesday to consider drastic changes to Illinois’ criminal justice system.

Republican Bruce Rauner is trying to remind voters about a botched, secret early release program that dates to Gov. Pat Quinn’s first year in office.

Campaign ad: “Two-hundred thirty violent criminals, secretly released early by Pat Quinn.”

It’s ads like this that make politicians afraid to do anything that could be considered "soft on crime." But a bipartisan group of lawmakers are asking whether there’s a smarter way to approach criminal justice.

The heard several ideas at the Chicago hearing, including calls to lower punishments for lesser drug crimes.

Marc Levin, with the conservative group Right on Crime, also suggested paroling elderly and severely ill inmates, and raising the dollar amount for what counts as major theft to keep up with inflation.

“We have to focus on imprisoning those people we’re afraid of, not those we’re just mad at," Levin said.

Also testifying was Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. He asked state lawmakers to follow Chicago’s lead in allowing police to issue tickets for marijuana possession, instead of making arrests.

Brian Mackey formerly reported on state government and politics for NPR Illinois and a dozen other public radio stations across the state. Before that, he was A&E editor at The State Journal-Register and Statehouse bureau chief for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
Related Stories