* Press release…
Surrounded by sponsoring lawmakers, criminal justice reform advocates and a victim of wrongful conviction, today Governor JB Pritzker signed a package of nation-leading legislation that puts Illinois at the forefront of the work to bring about true reform to the state’s justice system.
“An essential tenet of good governance is recognizing the need to change the laws that have failed the people they serve. My administration has infused that value into everything we do,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The four bills I’m signing today advance the rights of some of our most vulnerable in our justice system and put Illinois at the forefront of the work to bring about true reform. Together, these initiatives move us closer to a holistic criminal justice system, one that builds confidence and trust in a system that has done harm to too many people for far too long.”
The package of bills signed into law today include:
• Senate Bill 2122, which prohibits the use of deceptive tactics by all law enforcement when interrogating a minor. Sponsored by Senator Peters and Representative Slaughter, the bill takes effect January 1, 2022.
• Senate Bill 64, which encourages the use of restorative justice practices by providing that participation in such practices and anything said or done during the practice is privileged and may not be used in any future proceeding unless the privilege is waived by the informed consent of the party or parties covered by the privilege. Sponsored by Senator Peters and Representative Ammons, the bill takes effect immediately.
• Senate Bill 2129, which allows the State’s Attorney of a county in which a defendant was sentenced to petition for resentencing of the offender if the original sentence no longer advances the interests of justice. Sponsored by Senator Peters and Representative Cassidy, the bill takes effect January 1, 2022.
• House Bill 3587, which creates the Resentencing Task Force Act to study ways to reduce Illinois’ prison population via resentencing motions. Sponsored by Senator Peters and Representative Slaughter, the bill takes effect immediately.
More details about the bills are at the link.
- Elizabeth Cueto - Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 11:47 am:
When is he going to help the ones sentence under Truth In sentencing serving 85%-100% they deserve credit as well some are convicted under Murder but were just the driver and serving 100%
- Sue - Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 11:56 am:
Great timing. How about a victims rights bill.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 12:07 pm:
===How about a victims rights bill===
lol
What do you have in mind?
- SaulGoodman - Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 12:52 pm:
===How about a victims rights bill===
You mean the constitutional amendment that passed a few years ago?
- Dotnonymous - Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 1:21 pm:
Everyone has a right to be a victim?
- The Opinions Bureau - Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 2:25 pm:
===How about a victims rights bill===
Some actual organizations that advocate for survivors and supported SB64 include:
-Quincy Area Network Against Domestic Abused
-Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence
-Archdiocese of Chicago Domestic Violence Outreach
-YWCA of the Sauk Valley
-Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation
-The Network Advocating Against Domestic Violence
(Source: https://ilga.gov/legislation/witnessslip.asp?DocNum=64&DocTypeID=SB&LegID=128312&GAID=16&SessionID=110&GA=102&SpecSess=)
- Payback - Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 2:30 pm:
“Surrounded by sponsoring lawmakers, criminal justice reform advocates and a victim of wrongful conviction…” Note how any changes to the “justice” system usually take place after someone has been hurt, like the (unnamed) victim of a wrongful conviction in this press release. Like all the people Jon Burge tortured, these types of crimes require silence by many cops, lawyers, prosecutors, and judges. Too bad it’s not a crime for lawyers and prosecutors to fail to report police criminality.
It speaks volumes that some of the police unions opposed making it illegal to lie to minors in interrogations. Getting it on the record that police lie routinely as a typical maneuver is a big win in itself, so kudos to Rep. Slaughter.
- walker - Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 2:41 pm:
“”kudos to Rep Slaughter”"
Amen amen
- Kelly Cassidy - Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 3:09 pm:
@ElizabethCueto - SB2129 would allow a state’s attorney to petition for resentencing for any defendant and allows the court to consider issues such as evidence of rehabilitation, injustice in the sentencing, disciplinary records while incarcerated, etc. A state’s attorney could motion up someone sentenced under Truth In Sentencing and they could argue why they should be resentenced.
- Elizabeth Cueto - Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 4:39 pm:
@kelly Cassidy Who initiates that process of the whole resentencing is it the states attorney or the inmates? My husband was sentence 22 years under truth in sentencing already served 20 years how will it help him he is serving 100% of his time.
- Amalia - Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 5:16 pm:
Crime will be a hot issue in the next election. important to look at immediate results and be able to defend.
- ILL NOISE - Thursday, Jul 15, 21 @ 7:58 pm:
At least it is clear where the Governor stands. Hope he takes the lumps for increased crime at the ballot box. If only black lives mattered to Dems.