Time for answers to the prison mess

It's difficult to fathom what Gov. Pat Quinn and his appointed Illinois Department of Corrections chief were thinking when they began releasing violent convicted felons this fall, some of whom had barely served any time for their crimes.

Quinn finds himself facing a firestorm after The Associated Press this week uncovered the program that allowed inmates to be freed early, some having spent only 11 days behind bars.

Quinn and Illinois Department of Corrections Director Michael Randle abandoned a policy that all prisoners serve at least 61 days, instead giving them good-time credit before they'd proven they deserved any. The Associated Press reported Sunday that more than 850 prisoners were released early in a money-saving scheme that has repeat drunken drivers and people convicted of battery and weapons violations back on the streets far earlier than their sentences mandated. One of those released early, The Associated Press noted, is someone who spent 18 days behind bars for aggravated DUI after he hit two cars, sending one victim to the hospital for weeks, after he drove the wrong way on an interstate.

Quinn and Randle thought this was a fine idea that did not deserve plenty of public debate, vetting and study? Astounding.

And Quinn has not reassured any of us about his honesty or leadership. Thursday, he insisted he explicitly ordered Randle not to release any criminal who had hurt anyone. But that claim followed his first refusing to say whether he knew about the plan at all, then admitting he did, then refusing to say whether he realized some violent criminals would be freed after only days behind bars. Quinn's answers have changed daily.

We know the state faces a huge budget crisis. And we can understand, given that, that some prisoners were to be freed early who were not violent and near the end of their sentences. But as near as we can tell, no one outside the Quinn administration was consulted about freeing violent inmates who barely had done any time.

This is outrageous. Quinn and Randle need to provide a full accounting of how this happened, who approved it and when. They need to tell us how it was decided who would be freed and what they knew about how it would work. We need a list now of everyone who was freed, what crimes they had committed when they were sentenced, what sentences they were to have served and an accounting of their prior criminal histories.

The inmates' victims deserve at least that much information. Their victims, witnesses and neighbors deserve to be notified when such prisoners are freed. They deserve this accounting as soon as possible in the aftermath of this debacle.

No blue ribbon commissions or panels or thorough reviews. No more hemming and hawing. This can only be seen as a serious mistake and a breach of trust that jeopardizes our safety. It's time to own it, Governor.