APNewsBreak: Ill. Gov. Quinn suspends 2nd early release for prisoners pending safety review
By John Oconnor, APTuesday, January 5, 2010
Ill. suspends 2nd release program pending review
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is suspending a second early release program for prison inmates until he names a safety officer to review it.
Quinn halted the program Tuesday as he continued to take hits for his administration’s handling of another, secret release plan known as “MGT Push.”
The separate MGT Push program was halted after The Associated Press reported its existence and that it included violent offenders.
The newly suspended release program was announced in September and was billed as a way to cut costs. Officials said it would include about 1,000 nonviolent offenders.
Corrections Department spokeswoman Januari Smith says Quinn decided it made sense to halt both programs until he picks a public safety officer to review early release policies.
