In hopes of saving the state millions of dollars, Governor Pat Quinn recently announced that he plans to release 1,000 of Illinois' 46,000 prison inmates earlier than their judicially-decided release date. It's not an ideal situation, but neither is our economy. Quinn said, and we agree, that this move is necessary for the common good. By no means is it the long-term solution. But hopefully it can become a catalyst for a series of events that may lead Illinois to a long-awaited and overdue prison reform.

The plan to release the inmates was unveiled last Friday by the Department of Corrections as an effect of dealing with budget cuts; just another symptom of the state's dire fiscal situation. The release is also coupled with laying off 419 prison workers.

Our state is in the middle of a budgetary crises, something always has to give. This particular cut not only gives a little, but it also prompts a focus on reform.

Illinois' population of prison inmates continually grows. In 1986, according to the Department of Corrections, the inmate population was at 18,000. Today, it's increased by as much as 28,000 which obviously proves that the "lock 'em up and throw away the key" philosophy is not working the way it's supposed to.

And while releasing close to 1,000 inmates is not the prison reform Illinois is waiting for, it's one brick in the pathway to repairing the prison system.

The 1,000 inmates who will be released acre considered "low-level, non-violent" offenders who are currently serving the last year of their sentence. Had this plan not been put to action, those offenders would have been let off sooner or later. This way, Illinois will save about 5 million dollars; money that can go directly to prison reform, among other reforms Illinois needs.

Each released offender will be paired with a parole officer, as well as receiving electronic monitoring devices.

While to many, this comes off as a "get out of jail free" card, it's a second chance for the offenders who would have been released within the next year.

Speeding up the process only saves the state money, and the likelihood of a public safety risk is low considering the precautions taken by the state.

In saving 5 million dollars, the corrections facilities will get 2 million to divert offenders from state prisons. Those funds will be allocated to drug treatment and other community-based alternatives that serve as rehabilitative programs, which will be a big step in the right direction of prison reform.

It may seem as though Quinn is committing "political suicide." That said, he's doing what we need to be done during a recession. He's looking for places to cut money, to cut facilities, and attempting to rebuild our state. Although it seems like an impossible feat to start from the ground up, in the end his actions will hopefully be a catalyst for greater good. Those 1,000 prison inmates who may soon be released will hopefully be the first of many to not consequently become repeat offenders.