SPRINGFIELD - Hundreds of inmates could be released from Illinois prisons in the coming months as part of a budget-cutting tactic unveiled Tuesday by Gov. Pat Quinn.

Faced with a massive state deficit and a lingering budget impasse with lawmakers, Quinn announced the layoffs of 1,000 workers from prisons across the state. The first 500 of those will take effect Sept. 30 and target workers at prisons in East Moline, Lincoln, Logan, Decatur, Vandalia and Vienna.

Because there would be fewer workers at those minimum-security facilities, the agency is reviewing which inmates might qualify for early release.

"Obviously, you have to downsize if you lay people off," Corrections spokesman Derek Schnapp said Tuesday.

The early release of inmates as a budget-cutting tool is a departure from the recent past, in which former Gov. Rod Blagojevich repeatedly threatened to shut down entire prisons in order to save money. He was not successful in those efforts.

State Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth, represents workers at three of the central Illinois prisons affected by the cuts.

"You have to take the governor seriously," Mitchell said Tuesday. "But there are a lot of questions to be answered."

For example, preliminary figures show a total of 63 workers would be laid off at the women's prison in Decatur. Of those, 43 are guards. Mitchell said it is not clear if higher-paid administrators also are being laid off.

Exactly what types of inmates will be released was not available Tuesday, but officials say they are looking at low-level drug offenders and those who are over the age of 55.

"By statute, the Department of Corrections can release lower-level inmates that are within one year of their release date," Schnapp said.

Prisoners who are released would be outfitted with electronic monitoring devices.

Illinois is not the only cash-strapped state looking at early release as an option. California is also discussing a plan to keep inmates out of its prison, and Ohio has implemented a plan to move terminally ill inmates into nursing homes.

Anders Lindall, spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union, said the added parolees would "swamp" already overwhelmed parole agents and come at a time when Quinn also has slashed funding for drug treatment programs because of the budget stalemate.

Details about the second phase of layoffs affecting 500 prison workers were not available Tuesday.

"We want to limit layoffs wherever possible," Quinn told reporters during an event in Chicago.

Quinn is hopeful the cuts can be avoided if lawmakers can agree on a income tax increase and an overall state spending plan.

Members of the House and Senate aren't due to return to action until July 14.

"This next week is crucial," Quinn said.