By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – A group that’s examining ways to reduce the state’s prison population has released a list of more than two dozen recommendations.

Retired Chief Justice Elizabeth Robb of Bloomington was one 29 criminal justice officials who served on Gov. Bruce Rauner’s reform commission. She told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin not only are too many behind put behind bars with getting the treatment they need, it appears a disproportionate number of them are minorities.

PODCAST: Listen to Scott and Patti’s interview with Robb on WJBC. 

“The only way we can address that is by first having the data that shows what’s going on and where and if changes need to be made,” Robb explained. “So there’s a recommendation that we keep that type of data.”

Robb added many drug offenders are in prison much longer than violent criminals.

“The use of crack cocaine, it harms the individual using it, but it’s not a violence offense, and so we are sentencing non-violent offenders more seriously we are those who have been found guilty of more violent offenses,” Robb said.

Robb said it will take a while for these recommendations to produce results – if they are even implemented – because it criminals would need treatment and rehabilitative services to help them turn their lives around.

“They will reduce prison populations and reduce the cost for that, but not in the short term because you have to prove the treatment and the rehabilitative services to them before you can safely release them to the community,” Robb said.

Rauner formed the panel in 2015 with the goal of reducing Illinois’ prison population 25 percent by 2025 while improving safety.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].