Parole Rate of IL Prisoners Sentenced before ‘78 Plunges 91%, 1st Comprehensive Report Reveals; Lang Urges Blagojevich to Fill Vacant Parole Board Seats

(Chicago, IL) – The parole rate of Illinois prisoners sentenced before 1978 has fallen from 57% in 1978 to 5% in 2007, a 91% drop, according to a new report.

The John Howard Association of Illinois, the state’s leading prison watchdog group, today issued a report

Darrell “Jomo” Peatry (left), former "C" class prisoner, Malcolm Young, Executive Director, John Howard Association

that reveals that of the less than 300 pre-1978 sentenced prisoners who remain in prison and who can seek parole each year, on average less than 3.5% are actually granted parole.

“Perceptions that prisoners eligible for parole are liberally paroled is a myth,” said Malcolm Young, the Executive Director of the John Howard Association.

According to the report, in 1978 Illinois abolished parole and imposed ‘determinate’ or fixed sentencing laws, discarding rehabilitation in favor of punishment. But the new scheme still left 11,000 prisoners eligible for parole under the former sentencing laws.

The Illinois Prisoner Review Board considered 6,684 parole petitions in 1978 and granted parole to 3,823 prisoners, or 57%. The board reviewed 144 petitions in 2007 and granted only 7, or 5%.

Since 1978, those 11,000 prisoners have been reduced to approximately 300 by parole, clemency, death, completion of sentences, and conversion of old sentences to new ones under the provisions of the 1978 statute.

Springfield reporters at John Howard Association press conference.

The remaining 300 prisoners are aged 50 to mid-80s, many are chronically ill, and pose little or no risk to society were they to be paroled, says Young. The parole board’s own statistics note that the recidivism of these prisoners is a minuscule 6% in contrast to 54% recidivism among the general prison population.

The report documents that the parole rate plummet from 28% in 1983 to 3% in 1984.  In 1984, Daley complained to the media regarding two specific prisoners paroled and subsequently pushed for legislation to render the parole process more difficult. The Daley-backed measures required a majority approval from the full Prisoner Review Board rather than a majority present at hearings.

Since 1984, the parole rate has averaged 3.5%.

“Since 1984, the Prisoner Review Board has shifted the focus from the prisoner’s rehabilitation to punishment for the original crime without regard for rehabilitation,” said Young. “The intent of the original laws has been largely disregarded.”

Additionally, under the current system, seven votes are required to approve a parole whether all Board

State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie)

members are present or not. An absent member or abstention constitutes “no” votes. If eight members are present, two of the Board Members can block parole for an inmate who receives six votes.

Currently, the Board has had two vacancies—one seat, one year vacant and the other two years—and Young is urging Governor Rod Blagojevich make appointments to those empty seats. “The Governor should act swiftly and nominate qualified individuals who will fairly apply the law,” said Young.

“Governor Blagojevich needs to ensure that justice is carried out expeditiously and thoughtfully,” said State Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie). “He needs to fill the vacant parole board seats now.”