Gov. Pat Quinn today signed a bill into law that will increase public safety by advancing his ongoing overhaul and reform of the Illinois Department of Corrections’ meritorious good conduct credit program that can reduce prison sentences.
“I thank and congratulate the General Assembly for backing my recommendations and taking swift action to enact this important public safety initiative,” said Gov. Quinn.
“This law will protect the public while preserving the integrity of the criminal justice system and the court’s sentencing of offenders.”
The new Public Safety Initiative law establishes key requirements regarding meritorious good conduct credits that can reduce prison sentences.
The law requires prisoners in state custody to serve at least 60 days of their sentences before being eligible for meritorious good conduct credit.
Last month, at the Governor’s direction, the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) reinstated an agency practice requiring inmates to serve this minimum amount of time in a state facility before being awarded such credit.
The law also requires IDOC to provide at least 14 days advance notice to the appropriate local prosecutors prior to releasing an inmate receiving meritorious good conduct credit.
Senate Bill 1013 is one major result of Governor Quinn’s mandate to repair IDOC’s Meritorious Good Time (MGT) program, a release program first authorized by statute in 1978.
On December 30, Governor Quinn announced an overhaul of this prison release program and committed to working with the General Assembly to quickly enact reforms.
These changes are based on feedback from criminal justice expert and former judge David A. Erickson, whose review of the MGT program for the Quinn Administration will include meetings with law enforcement officials, state’s attorneys and other stakeholders, including the John Howard Association.
As part of his ongoing overhaul, Gov. Quinn last month terminated IDOC’s recently-accelerated MGT program, which did not require inmates to spend at least 60 days in IDOC custody before being awarded any meritorious credit.
In addition, the new law formalizes Gov. Quinn’s December order that IDOC must provide local prosecutors with at least 14 days advance notice before releasing an inmate based on meritorious good conduct credit.
This notice will provide local authorities with sufficient opportunity to appropriately respond to and disseminate notices.
The passage of the new law is only one part of Governor Quinn’s continuing effort to reform the IDOC meritorious good conduct credit program.
The Governor recently announced appointments to further improve the administration of IDOC programs affecting public safety.
Governor Quinn named law enforcement veteran Michael J. McCotter as Chief Public Safety Officer at IDOC. The Governor also named Sean Vinck, Chief of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Office of the Governor, as a special administrator for IDOC, and Mark S. Prosperi, a former Assistant United States Attorney, as Public Safety Liaison Officer for the Office of the Governor.
Senate Bill 1013, sponsored by Sen. Michael Noland (D-Elgin) and Rep. Emily McAsey (D-Lockport), is effective immediately.
For more information on IDOC, please visit idoc.state.il.us
Can anyone tell me if this is real and if so when was it signed into law? My husband is also currently incarcerated in IDOC waiting for this program to be re-instated. This was his one and only conviction. It was part of his sentencing. Be good, make the most of your time, and you’ll get 6 months of your time. Well, he has been good… no tickets, he’s worked at a job his entire incarceration, and has participated in the drug treatment program. He has done everything possible to earn his mgt. He would have been released around the 23rd of Feb. if the program were in place. Now, we wait. Without the re-instatement of the meritorious good time program he will be there until July. Any information on this would be appreciated. Thanks
hi! I need my husband out here to help with our 5 children.pat quinn could you please sign the bill for mgt? Thank you.
i am tired of hearing i am getting the remainder of the good time i earned. I never recieved any tickets while in custody in idoc. When i agreed to my plea i was told six months i would recieve as long as i didnt do anything that would jepordize those six months in which i havent. i have been in a ATC center for over a year, i have been working for ten months now and i am over due for the other three months the state owes me for not doing anything to jepordize them… Just some answers please..
We are tired of all the rumors of MGT coming back. It is time for real answers. My son has been in for over a year based on lies and fabricated info. He deserves the right to earn MGT and come home. There are so many in there that shouldn’t be. The justice system needs to set boundaries on who they can put in prison. We need to keep on the Govenors office to get things changed.
the 1013 bill is in review, when will Gov. Guinn sign this bill in 2011. please let me know.
Will they give tha mgt time this year 2011 it would be great to see r love ones to come home soon
I agree some of the inmates are in there on less crimes… people make mistakes in life. Will they give back MGT in Jan. 2011? Please don’t make everyone suffer for one person’s mistake!
Will they ever give the MGT back, Some are in there on less crime where they should had been home with they family. It not fair that everyone have 2 pay for one people mistake. Please give the MGT back.
when will the MGT go back into effect can someone tell me this please….