Give every Illinois lifer a C number

In 1978 Illinois changed its sentencing laws to convert from indeterminate sentences to those with a range rather than a set sentence. That’s fine, but the law added a terrible addendum. Those sentenced for first degree murder had to complete their sentences. No longer eligible for parole, they were certain to die in prison.

Those already serving long sentences were excluded from the new guidelines and were given a C number to distinguish them as being eligible for parole. Last year 80 year old C number Chester Weger was paroled after serving 60 years for a 1960 triple murder. This month 76 year old C number Ray Larsen was paroled after serving 49 years for a 1972 murder.

Releasing them will save precious tax dollars needed to prosecute and imprison young, still dangerous offenders. It will help reduce the tax burden on every Illinoisan.

But releasing the old and infirm after they’re no longer a threat is also the humane thing to do, regardless of the grotesqueness of their long ago crimes.

People need to stop responding to certain life sentences by saying “I hope you rot in prison till you die a horrible death.” The fact is those lifers will mostly die not even aware they are still alive. Keeping their decaying bodies in prison long after required for public safety is both a fiscally wasteful and morally reprehensible system of justice.