Pat Quinn on Crime

Alternative sentencing for low-level non-violent offenders

In Illinois, for the last 30 years, we have gone from 18,000 inmates in the prison to 46,000. We have to deal with this issue in our state, like other big states. We want to make sure our prisons incarcerate hardened criminals, at all times. We have to do that. At the same time, our society has to ask itself, "Is the best way to punish a low-level, non-violent offender--someone who has committed a crime and has to serve some kind of punishment--is it the best way to have them go to a state prison, with its cost?" I think it's important in our state that we examine this issue.

We are going to take a look at a Sentence Advisory Council. We want to make sure our prisons are always incarcerating hardened criminals; at the same time we want to take a look at how we deal with these low-level non-violent offenders who still must be punished. There may be other ways; there are other ways to do it, and I think that's something we need to embark on this year.

Source: Illinois 2010 State of the State Address , Jan 13, 2010

Sold unused state prison to federal prison agency

I was contacted by our President and his administration to inspect a nearly vacant prison that we haven't been able to afford to open, Thomson prison. There were then some that when we even opened the door for inspection, criticized that decision. As Governor, I allowed those federal prison officials to come to Illinois to inspect the prison. When they came through here they found that it was an ideal prison for a federal prison that they were anxious to buy. I agreed to sell, for a fair market value Source: Illinois 2010 State of the State Address , Jan 13, 2010

Click here for definitions & background information on Crime. Click here for a summary of all issue stances of Pat Quinn. Click here for a profile of Pat Quinn. Click here for VoteMatch responses by Pat Quinn. Agree? Disagree? Voice your opinions on Crime in The Forum. Click here for issue positions of other IL politicians.
*Other governors on Crime:*		*Pat Quinn on other issues:*
*IL Senatorial:* Mark Kirk Richard Durbin *Newly seated 2010:* NJ Chris Christie VA Bob McDonnell *Term-limited as of Jan. 2011:* AL Bob Riley CA Arnold Schwarzenegger GA Sonny Perdue HI Linda Lingle ME John Baldacci MI Jennifer Granholm NM Bill Richardson OK Brad Henry OR Ted Kulongoski PA Ed Rendell RI Donald Carcieri SC Mark Sanford SD Mike Rounds TN Phil Bredesen WY Dave Freudenthal	*Newly Elected Nov. 2010:* AL: Robert Bentley (R) CA: Jerry Brown (D) CO: John Hickenlooper (D) CT: Dan Malloy (D) FL: Rick Scott (R) GA: Nathan Deal (R) HI: Neil Abercrombie (D) IA: Terry Branstad (R) KS: Sam Brownback (R) ME: Paul LePage (R) MI: Rick Snyder (R) MN: Mark Dayton (D) ND: Jack Dalrymple (R) NM: Susana Martinez (R) NV: Brian Sandoval (R) NY: Andrew Cuomo (D) OH: John Kasich (R) OK: Mary Fallin (R) PA: Tom Corbett (R) RI: Lincoln Chafee (I) SC: Nikki Haley (R) SD: Dennis Daugaard (R) TN: Bill Haslam (R) VT: Peter Shumlin (D) WI: Scott Walker (R) WY: Matt Mead (R)	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty Contact info: Email Contact Form

Page last updated: Nov 23, 2011