John Howard Association of Illinois

Despite a powerful endorsement from the Chicago Sun Times and a broad base of support, Jorge Montes has resigned from the Illinois Prisoner Review Board.

Via Governor Quinn's office:

CHICAGO--(ENEWSPF)--July 31, 2010 - Governor Pat Quinn today announced appointments to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, the newly-formed Illinois Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission, the Health Facilities and Service Review Board and the East St. Louis Financial Advisory Authority.

Illinois Prisoner Review Board

The Illinois Prisoner Review Board imposes release conditions for incarcerated individuals who are exiting prison, awards inmate good conduct credits, and conducts hearings to determine whether parolees have violated conditions of parole. The board also makes confidential recommendations to the Governor regarding clemency petitions, and notifies victims when an inmate is about to be released.

Current board chair Jorge Montes announced yesterday that he is leaving the commission to pursue other opportunities. Montes will continue to serve the board over the next three weeks to assist with the transition. The new appointees are:

Adam Monreal will serve as the new chairman of the Prisoner Review Board. Monreal lives in Chicago and is currently a supervisor in the Department of Insurance’s Workers’ Compensation Fraud Unit. Previously he served as Assistant to the Mayor of Chicago for Public Safety and as an Assistant State’s Attorney.

Angelia Blackman-Donovan lives in Belleville and is a trial court administrator in the 20th Judicial Circuit. Blackman-Donovan has spent 30 years as a prosecutor, public defender and private attorney.

William Simmons lives in Wheaton and spent 40 years with the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office and the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. He retired in 2008 as Chief of Criminal Investigations.