The state of Illinois suspended the MGT/SMGT program in December 2009 and terminated it in January 2010. The program is currently under review. We need to help many of these prisoners and their family’s to get their loved ones home on time as planned. Many people's family members pleaded guilty thinking they were going to receive their good time. If people would have known before they pleaded guilty they would have not taken the plea bargain that was offered to them.

 Since Governor Pat Quinn took the early-release program away the state's prison system is at a record high of 49,000 inmates or more. That is 3,000 or more since last year. How can Illinois afford this with a multibillion dollar budget crisis? Illinois Department of corrections is $95 million behind on bills and they can barley pay their vendors. They are struggling to just stay stocked up on necessities such as soap and paper goods. It is so bad that they are putting four prisoners in two man cells. They are doubling up every available cell. Illinois does not have the money or space to take away the early-release program.

 Not only is the State of Illinois and the Illinois Department of Corrections struggling but so are families that need these prisoners home on time to help take care of their children and families. There are many women waiting for their husbands to come home and provide for their family. These prisoners may be a number to the state, but they are husbands, fathers and ordinary people like anyone else in society. Help us bring back the MGT/SMGT (early-release) program, to bring families back together and to save Illinois money that does not need to be spent.

Andy Grimm. “Illinois prison population surges to a record high.” Chicago Tribune,

November 22 2010. Accessed February 7, 2011.

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