Sunday, December 13, 2009

Release Criminals Early to Save Money?

Just a little over a week after Illinois Gov. Quinn signed a law increasing penalties for gang members who carry guns, he lets a bunch of convicted felons and other violent criminals caught w/ guns back out on the streets after only a few weeks.

James Walker-Bey, sentenced to a year for violating probation for carrying a .25 caliber pistol in Alsip, was confined for just over two weeks -- three days in Cook County and 14 at Stateville prison.

And Antoine Garrett, previously convicted of armed robbery and illegal firearms possession by a felon, got a one-year sentence after Chicago police saw him drop a bag of cocaine on the street as they approached, but spent just 21 days locked up...

Nine people were released Dec. 3, the same day that Quinn signed a law requiring prison time for gang members caught with guns.

The day before, Corrections sent home 20 others, including a man convicted of domestic battery who was confined for 19 days and a man who had spent a total of 20 days locked up for carrying a concealed weapon, records show.


That's how politicians get 'tough on crime'. By signing laws they know won't be enforced.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

How about saving money this way? Having a bounty "open season" on convicted felons (not those with merely misdemeanors), caught in a criminal act?
This would mean that bounty teams would have to go in pairs. One to take the pix of the perp in action, & the other to shoot the perp.

Betcha the crime rate would plummet like a rock off a cliff when felony convicts realize they're being watched like hawks for a "dead and not alive" bounty.

B Woodman
III-per

Crotalus said...

And yet, these cretins won't let us carry guns so we can do their dirty work.