People ex rel. Dept. of Corrections v. Hawkins

This case presents question as to whether trial court properly entered judgment in favor of Dept. of Corrections in action seeking to recover $456,000 in costs associated with defendant's incarceration. Appellate Court, in affirming trial court, found that Dept. could obtain judgment against inmate for entire cost of his incarceration under section 3-7-6 of Code of Corrections even where inmate's assets were insufficient to satisfy said judgment and consisted of only his prison wages. Inmate also argued in his petition for leave to appeal that Dept. could not attach his inmate account where Dept. had previously offset 3 percent of his wages to account for his housing costs.