People v. Williamson

Defendant appealed from the circuit court’s denial of sentencing credit for his completion of behavior modification and substance abuse programs and a county jail work assessment. Defendant argued on appeal that the educational programs were of a sufficient length and duration to entitle defendant to sentencing credit and that the trial court erred in finding that sentencing credit for work assignments could only be granted to prisoners in the department of corrections and not to inmates in the county jail. The appellate court affirmed, finding that the trial court did not err in failing to award defendant additional credit for completion of educational programs because he had not presented sufficient evidence of his participation in those programs and that the language of the statute pertaining to work assignment credit clearly established that the legislature did not intend for work assessment credit to include those individuals being held in pretrial custody. (HOLDRIDGE and HETTEL, concurring)