Ryan Signs Bill Establishing Stricter Reporting Requirements for Parolees

CHICAGO -- Governor George H. Ryan today signed House Bill 2844 continuing his comprehensive overhaul of Illinois' parole system by establishing stricter conditions under which persons can be released from prison.

"The signing of this bill into law represents further reforms of our new and modernized parole force," Governor Ryan said. "As promised we've doubled the number of parole agents, supplied agents with mobile equipment to get them out of the office and out on the streets, we've partnered with local police departments and this law gives parole agents the tools to see that parolees are not abusing the privilege of supervised release."

HB2844 requires that all parolees report to an agent of the Department of Corrections (DOC) as a condition of their release instead of having this condition be imposed at the discretion of the Prisoner Review Board (PRB). Also a parolee or releasee must permit a parole agent to visit them at home, place of employment or elsewhere to the extent necessary for the agent to discharge their duties. This condition had likewise previously been at the discretion of the PRB.

The Bill also adds the following requirements for parolees to the Unified Code of Corrections:

• attending or residing in a facility established for the instruction or residence of persons on parole or mandatory supervised release;

• securing permission before visiting or writing a committed person in an Illinois Department of Corrections facility;

• reporting all arrests to an agent of the Department of Corrections as soon as permitted by the arresting authority but no later than 24 hours after release from custody;

• obtaining permission of an agent of the Department of Corrections before leaving the state of Illinois and/or before changing residence or employment;

• consenting to a search of his or her person, property or residence under his or her control;

• refraining from the use or possession of narcotics or other controlled substances in any form and submitting to an urinalysis test as instructed by a parole agent of the Department of Corrections;

• not frequenting places where controlled substances are illegally sold, used, distributed, or administered;

• not knowingly associating with other persons on parole or mandatory supervised release without prior written permission of the parole agent;

• and not associating with persons who are members of an organized gang as that term is defined in the Illinois Street Gang Terrorism Omnibus Prevention Act;

• providing true and accurate information as it relates to his or her conduct while incarcerated in response to inquiries by the parole agent or the DOC; and

• following any specific instructions provided by the parole agent that are consistent with further conditions set and approved by the Prisoner Review Board or by law.

Under current law, the only mandatory conditions of parole are that those released from custody refrain from violating any criminal statute and refrain from possessing a firearm or other dangerous weapon.

House Bill 2844 provides the authority needed by the Parole Division in the Department of Corrections in supervising the needs of persons on parole such as: allowing parole agents to take immediate action when needed, requiring appropriate treatment or program services for persons on parole or supervised release and imposing conditions or sanctions readily.

HB2844 was sponsored in the House by Mary K. O'Brien (D-Coal City) and Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago). The Senate sponsor was Steven Rauschenberger (R-Elgin).