Senator Harriss Introduces Measure to Restore Policy Allowing State to Recover Incarceration Costs

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) has introduced legislation to restore a policy allowing the State of Illinois to recover incarceration costs from inmates when appropriate.

Senate Bill 3958 reinstates language previously removed from state law that allowed the Illinois Department of Corrections to pursue reimbursement for incarceration expenses on a case-by-case basis when incarcerated individuals have the ability to contribute.

“This is about fairness and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” said Senator Harriss. “If someone has the means to help cover the cost of their incarceration, taxpayers should not automatically bear the entire burden.”

In past years, the state recovered funds from inmates who had access to settlements, trust funds, or other assets. In one case, the Department of Corrections recovered nearly $320,000 from a convicted serial child sex offender who disclosed he was the beneficiary of a multimillion-dollar trust fund. In another case, the state pursued reimbursement from an inmate who received a $451,000 jury award while serving a life sentence for the 1993 Brown’s Chicken murders.

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The issue has recently drawn attention following the case of Sandra Kolalou, who was convicted of murdering and dismembering her landlord and had previously been awarded a $2.8 million judgment after being struck by a Chicago Transit Authority bus in 2018.

Kolalou has been sentenced to 58 years in prison. With the average annual cost of incarceration in Illinois exceeding $20,000 per inmate, taxpayers could spend at least $1.16 million over the course of her sentence.

“Situations like this highlight why restoring this authority matters,” said Senator Harriss. “This bill simply gives the state the ability to review these cases and pursue reimbursement when it is appropriate.”

SB 3958 would restore the Department of Corrections’ authority to review financial information and work with the Illinois Attorney General to pursue reimbursement when warranted.

The legislation would take effect immediately upon becoming law.

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