NCJ Number
63240
Date Published
1979
Length
165 pages
Annotation
A USER'S GUIDE TO THE COLLECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND AVAILABILITY OF ADULT PAROLE AND SUPERVISED RELEASE DATA FOR ILLINOIS INMATES IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
ILLINOIS HAS JUST CONVERTED FROM AN INDETERMINATE TO A DETERMINATE SENTENCING SYSTEM. UNDER THE LAW EFFECTING THIS CHANGE, PRISON TERMS ARE ESTABLISHED FOR SERIOUS OFFENSES AND FOR SUPERVISED RELEASE TERMS, AND PAROLE NO LONGER EXISTS. INSTEAD, THERE IS A FIXED RELEASE DATE, ASSUMING GOOD TIME IS SERVED, SET BY LAW AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRISON TERM. THE PRISON REVIEW BOARD RECEIVES A PRINTOUT OF BACKGROUND AND INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY ON EACH PERSON APPEARING BEFORE THE BOARD FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS SYSTEM AND IS SENT A MONTHLY PACKET OF INFORMATION FROM EACH INSTITUTION. THE BOARD MAINTAINS RECORDS OF THE OUTCOME OF EACH DECISION, CARD FILES CONTAINING THE PAROLE HISTORY OF EACH PAROLEE, AND LEGAL PAPERS PERTINENT TO DECISIONS. RECORDKEEPING PRACTICES DIFFER IN EACH AREA OF ILLINOIS' PAROLE DISTRICTS. AT FINAL DISCHARGE, THE ADULT PAROLE SERVICES FILES ARE SENT BACK TO THE INSTITUTION WHERE THEY ARE STORED AND EVENTUALLY MICROFILMED. A MONTHLY REPORT GIVING COUNSELOR CASELOADS AND TRANSFERS IS PUBLISHED. THE MICROFILM UNIT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING MICROFILM RECORDS OF ALL MASTER FILES AND PRISONER REVIEW BOARD DECISIONS. FILES FROM 1945 THROUGH 1969 HAVE EITHER BEEN MICROFILMED OR DESTROYED; NONE ARE AWAITING PROCESS. ESSENTIALLY, ONLY INFORMATION ON PRISONERS RELEASED IN THE 1970'S IS AVAILABLE IN ANY DETAIL. THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS MAINTAINS TWO COMPUTERIZED RECORD SYSTEMS. ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM REPORTS ON INDIVIDUALS IS GOVERNED BY ILLINOIS STATUTE, AS IS ACCESS TO SUPERVISION FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES. HISTORICAL FILES ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO USE FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES. INFORMATION ON WHERE TO OBTAIN DATA ON ILLINOIS INMATES PAROLED FROM THE FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM IS PROVIDED. APPENDIXES, TABULAR INFORMATION, AND FIGURES ARE INCLUDED.