Why can’t Illinois’ Prisoner Review Board do its job?
Pontiac Correctional Facility WLGT
The Prisoner Review Board is a state panel that considers whether to grant parole to certain people serving long prison sentences. It also sets the terms of mandatory supervised release — a period when the state monitors the vast majority of people who’ve served their prison sentences. The board is supposed to have 15 members. But last week, members of the Illinois State Senate declined to confirm two of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s nominees, and a third appointee resigned before the Senate voted on his position, leaving the board without a quorum and unable to function.
We discussed the duties of the Prison Review Board, its current state and how the situation might be resolved with a civil rights attorney and the executive director of an independent criminal justice reform association.
GUESTS:
Aviva Futorian
Civil rights attorney | Criminal justice reform activist and educator | Author, Prisoner Review Board Newsletter
Jennifer Vollen-Katz
Executive Director, the John Howard Association
On Tuesday, the PRB website noted the next quarterly clemency hearings, which were scheduled for April 12 to April 15, have been indefinitely postponed due to “unforeseen circumstances” as the agency looks to “finalize a future date and location.”https://t.co/7PhtQMRj0Z
— Illinois Newsroom (@ILNewsroom) March 30, 2022
Prepared for web by Owen Henderson
Help shape our coverage on The 21st by joining our texting group and answering weekly questions. To join, text “TALK” to 217-803-0730 or sign up with your phone number below: