By Marissa Alter
13 News

ROCKFORD -- Illinois looks at ways to keep prison costs down, which may mean abolishing life without parole sentences. Since 1978, criminals serving a life sentence in Illinois have had no chance of being let out. Only those sentenced before then are eligible for parole.

But a state legislature committee report may change that. In March, the Illinois legislature approved a study to look at the state's prisons specifically the elderly and often sick prison population. Winnebago County State's Attorney Paul Logli says, "You get prisoners who're living into their 80's or 90's and they become very ill and they become a medical liability to the state. They're living basically in hospital wards."

That's costing Illinois lots of money, so a new state committee will look at how to deal with older inmates and keep costs down. State Senator Dave Syverson says, "A lot of states are starting to develop geriatric prisons where they're taking those elderly or sick and disabled prisoners and they're putting them together. Some states are getting a little more creative and they are looking at paroling them into nursing homes but they'd be in nursing homes that're strictly for inmates."

That would let the state shift most of the health care costs to the federal government. But another option could just be letting older inmates no longer viewed as a threat out on parole. If that's the case, all criminals sentenced to life since 1978 could get out. Logli says, "I think most prosecutors and police don't really agree with that. If you talk to families of the victims, they don't really agree these people should be getting out."

Logli says victims rights groups will monitor this very closely and are prepared to oppose any legislation that would allow for early release or abolish life without parole.

Updated: November 9, 2006, 7:51 pm