Non- Violent vs Sex Sex Offenders

Re: The Non- Violent First Time offenders vs. Sex Offenders for the EHM.
IDOC releases sex offenders on EHM on regular basis.
However IDOC refuses to adhere to the current EHM laws that relate to first time non-violent offenders being released on EHM.
They claim that they do not have a program in place or the equipment for EHM. However this law has been on the books for well over a decade.
IDOC could in fact borrow the EHM devices from the sex offenders divison and adhere to the law as it exist today.
It is time for IDOC to step to the plate and comply to the law as written.

Just the Facts

(730 ILCS 5/) Unified Code of Corrections, (730 ILCS 5/Ch. V Art. 8A heading), ARTICLE 8A. ELECTRONIC HOME DETENTION is the law. This is a fact.
This law is clear “Home detention" means the confinement of a person convicted or charged with an offense to his or her place of residence under the terms and conditions established by the supervising authority” not out of house, not a threat to the community. This is a fact.
The Illinois Department of Corrections has chosen to ignore this law, even though their job is to enforce the law. This is a fact.
It would save the taxpayers a great deal of money anywhere between $175,000,000. To $305,000,000. This is a fact.
The law requires a person to have a support system in place. This is a fact.
The law only allows first time non violent offenders to be placed on Electronic Home Detention. This is a fact.
It does not allow violent or sex offenders to apply. This is a fact.
The AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CRIMINOLOGY states that” crime peaks in the late teens and early 20s, and declines thereafter” This is a fact.
The majority of those eligible for Electronic Home detention are over 55. This is a fact
The State of Illinois is broke. This is a fact.
It costs about $55.00 per day per prisoner to be incarcerated. It costs less than $1.00 per day for each person on Electronic Home Detention. This is a fact.
The difference in cost is about $54.00 per day. This is a fact.
What would you do with $54.00 per day extra?

$175,000,000. that is Real Money

How much is $174,000,000.00 in real money???
It almost triples the amount the state currently spends on reading improvement, per Illinois state Board of Education’s budget for 2009, , Reading Improvement $79,139,800. 00

It would increase the budget for “Youth Substance Abuse Prevention”, which targets children 9-14, the age most at risk. Before they are in trouble.

Think of what a small portion of this money could do for your community?

It is money the Illinois department of correction would save if they just implemented the current law.

Illinois statue (730 ILCS 5/) Unified Code of Corrections.
(730 ILCS 5/Ch. V Art. 8A heading)
ARTICLE 8A, ELECTRONIC HOME DETENTION, is the law, has been the law for over 10 years yet IDOC is not utilizing this law

This Illinois law calls for people convicted and sentenced to prison for
Non-violent crimes to be eligible for release on Electronic Home Monitoring
(EHM) devices, however officials of the Illinois department of Corrections
say that the technology is being used in very few [give number] cases. The
Reason is that the state is not currently equipped to monitor a large number
of people on EHM. [I expect a call back on this from Jason Garnett, IDOC Deputy Director for Parole Operations and Security-tp.]
The initial cost for ramping up this program would be negligible compared to the savings.
But they aren’t just numbers they are people like:
“Joanna” who has Alzheimer's and less than a year left on her sentence, her lucid days are getting further and further apart. Her family wants her home for at least whatever time she has remaining.
“Danielle” also has less than a year; she was with the wrong crowd, was the wrong color and listened to the wrong people. She did not have any past brushes with the law. She also has less than a year, but God has given her another sentence, she has MS.
“Johnny” is serving time for drunk driving, does not have a past record. He is the Father of a seven year old boy who is very ill, and wants nothing more than his father home. “Johnny” has less than eight months on his sentence. Hope his first event isn’t a funeral.
Ten plus years ago technology was not as advanced as it is today. Electronic Monitoring devices not only have GPS, but monitor drug intake even tobacco. They are smaller and cost less than $2.00 per day to implement. “Joanne”, “Danielle”, “Johnny” names aren’t real, but their stories are. They cost you and I anywhere between $30,000.00 and $150,000 per year.
What would you do with the money?
The Illinois Compiled Statutes declares that "a person serving a sentence
for conviction of a Class 2, 3, or 4 felony offense which is not an excluded
offense may be placed in an electronic home detention program pursuant to
Department administrative directives states “Excluded offenses are basically sex crimes and/or violent crimes against a person”.

Electronic Home Detention

The law in Illinois provides for electronic home monitoring of non violent offenders.
Currently it is not being implemented by the state.
It would save the Illinois taxpayers $175,000,000.00 annually, but that is not the real savings. The real savings would be in lives saved if it was implemented.
Here is one story.
Danielle’s Sister died. Her mother came to tell her in prison. Danielle is serving a 20 year sentence and its almost time for her release.
Her sister had promised her a seven layer salad to celebrate her finally coming home.
Her sister’s death was senseless. Hit by a car while crossing the street. Not a busy street, just a quiet suburban one.
Danielle wasn’t supposed to be in prison.
She was the bright one. She was attending the University of Chicago on a full scholarship when something went haywire. Not her but her friends, a few too many… a dumb idea.. Whatever happened the appellate court reversed and remanded. The outcome was a reduced charge and sentence.
She was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and the wrong color.
Her sister, Dinah was her staunchest ally, visiting often and supplemented by numerous long phone calls, the sisters loved to talk about anything.
Danielle will still be going home. But home will not be the same for her or her Mother who just wanted her two girls to be happy and safe.
Last year the courts reduced her sentence, God gave her another sentence though, she has MS.
She is eligible for electronic home detention, which would allow her to help care for her aging Mother.