A measure aimed at bringing reforms to the embattled Prisoner Review Board was approved by lawmakers in Springfield this week, and now heads to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk for his signature.
The board handles all traditional parole decisions, executive clemency requests and victim notification regarding inmate releases.
It came under fire last March with the release of Crosetti Brand. The 39-year-old was serving time in Stateville Correctional Center on domestic violence charges when the board voted to release him. Brand allegedly stabbed his ex-girlfriend and killed her son, 11-year-old Jayden Perkins, a day after his release.
Brand is currently on trial facing 17 felony counts, including first-degree murder and armed robbery.
Donald Shelton and board member LeAnn Miller stepped down from the Prisoner Review Board in the wake of the incident. In a statement announcing Miller’s resignation, Pritzker said he asked PRB members to “engage with experts and advocates” on creating training for board members on handling domestic violence cases.
The bill that passed the Democrat-controlled House Tuesday would ensure that victims can file impact statements ahead of parole hearings and seek orders of protection against parole candidates. It would also require the board to hire a Director of Victim and Witness Services. State Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, said he felt prompted to carry the bill because of what happened to Perkins.
“Unfortunately, too often, we’ve heard from victims and family members that they simply haven’t been given a voice in this process,” Guzzardi said. “They haven’t gotten the requisite notifications or the details [of a case].”
Pritzker was staunchly opposed to a previous attempt, filed by State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, to reform the PRB over a provision that would have required the board to broadcast certain hearings on the website, citing funding issues.
During Thursday’s floor debate, Cassidy said she was thankful for Guzzardi and House Minority Leader Tony McCombie’s help on the bill.
“We can all agree that we need to make sure that our survivors are given the respect that they deserve and that they need, frankly, to survive,” Cassidy said. “We don’t have any more folks falling through the cracks. No more little boys have to die, no more folks have to live in fear.”
The bill passed on a partisan vote. A spokesperson with the governor’s office said Pritzker is expected to sign the bill into law.