2 Plus 2 Does not Add up to 4

Illinois, like many other states, is facing a major budget shortfall. Again like many other states,
it is considering paroling many more offenders to cut the correction budget operating expenses.

According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, the Governor is considering putting 11,000 of his 45,500 prisoners on parole. These are all relatively low-level offenders who are nearing the end of their sentences. So superficially, at least, this does not seem to be such a bad idea unless you are one of the 1,000 prison workers who would lose a job.

BUT Illinois only has 400 parole officers and this would increase the load of each by nearly 28 new cases. If the prisoners are scattered equally throughout the state and not, as is more likely, Chicago residents then it would add the aforementioned 28 new cases. But realistically some offices will have nearly 90 new cases because of the true residences of these newly paroled.

Parole and probation officers are currently suffering burn-out as well as frustration because they do not have the needed time to do the required paperwork and follow the treatment and related needs of the offenders they currently have. Adding this many more cases is only going to make a bad situation worse.

In addition unemployment of non-offender workers is very high in Illinois; without employment and a way to cover their living expenses and pay parole offender daily costs, this appears to have a likely result of high recidivism. While it would make the actual dollars saved a smaller amount, including the addition of some parole officers to deal with the new influx should be a necessary part of this budgetary scenario.