Just 48 hours before the end of his term, Illinois Gov. George Ryan commuted the sentences of all Illinois’ death row inmates — 171 in all — to life imprisonment. Ryan fully pardoned four men, three of which were set free.

In commuting the sentences, Ryan shifted the focus away from the corruption within the Illinois criminal justice system. The focus instead was on his outrageous last-minute pardons, and not the reasons for the pardons.

Currently, 38 states permit the death penalty. Wisconsin and Minnesota are not amongst those states.

As the reasoning behind his decision to pardon four and commute the sentences of 167 death row inmates, Ryan cited corruption in the justice system and the use of torture to coerce confessions. In the case of the four, their sentences were based on their confessions.

Ryan, who has been working for three years to uncover flaws in the capital punishment system, justified his actions by saying that convictions were based on their confessions, which were acquired through the use of torture.

If this was the case, it is good that these people were pardoned, but there is no evidence that the other 167 death row prisoners should have commuted sentences.

If Ryan felt so strongly about the death penalty, he should have worked harder to change the system and not just uncover its flaws.

The governing bodies of Illinois now need to re-evaluate their judicial system to ensure that their reputation is repaired and that people on death row are actually guilty of the crimes.

By using his gubernatorial powers, Ryan undermined the entire state government of Illinois. His actions worked against democracy and towards a dictatorship. The people on death row were there for a reason.