First Inmate Released Through Overhauled Prison Program

The state of Illinois has started sending home inmates early under a revamped sentence-reduction program.

Lee Enterprises newspapers in Illinois reports Wednesday that 34-year-old Javier Morales of southern Illinois was the first inmate sent home on parole under the program. He was serving time for a Williamson County theft case.

He was one of 18 prisoners released since the program started last month.

The revamped program will likely mean the release of far fewer prisoners than under the previous plan. Gov. Pat Quinn suspended that plan in December 2009 after The Associated Press unveiled a scandal.

Corrections Department spokeswoman Stacey Solano says there have been no issues with the new program. She says implementation will be "careful and responsible.''