An Illinois victims’ rights group says a controversial early release program violated the state’s constitution.
Recently, the early release program known as MGT Push has caused a political stir for Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.
Under the program more than 1,700 inmates were released early. Some of those prisoners had committed violent crimes. Jennifer Bishop Jenkins is the co-founder of IllinoisVictims.org. She says victims were not notified that the convicted felons were released.
BISHOP-JENKINS: We want to know exactly what this cost-based decision was, and exactly how much it is ending up costing us. We want to know how it is that the vicitms could not have been notified of these crimes when their lives were literally in danger.
The Illinois Constitution has a provision stating that victims have the right to know when the offender is released from prison. A spokesperson for the Department of Corrections says officials are looking into the claims. Governor Quinn has suspended all early release programs.