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Issues: Criminal Justice

Position in Brief

The League of Women Voters of Illinois has positions on the following aspects of criminal justice:
  • Pretrial Release: The League supports a bail bond system to ensure court appearances, but opposes a system of bondsmen who provide bail monies for fee. 
  • Courtroom Procedures:  The League supports improvements in courtroom procedures that serve to minimize confusion and delay and increase fairness and efficiency.  
  • Sentencing Laws and Procedures: The League believes that judges should retain the discretion to choose between imprisonment and probation for most offenses. 
    The League believes that there should be strict penalties and enforcement for all crimes committed with a handgun or an assault weapon (see LWVIL Gun Violence Prevention position).  
  • Alternatives to Incarceration: The League supports the expansion of prevention and treatment programs to ease the burden on the criminal justice system. The League supports a statewide probation system. 
  • Jail Standards: The League supports the development and enforcement of standards for local jails and detention facilities.  
  • Illinois Department of Corrections: The League supports correctional services that conform to national professional standards. 
  • Citizen Involvement: The criminal justice system should make use of professionally directed volunteers who have been carefully screened and trained.  
  • Funding: The League believes that the criminal justice system must be adequately funded in order to carry out its goals.
Read More

Additional Resources


  • Criminal Justice Reform Presentation - 2018 Issues Briefing (January 28, 2018) 
  • Criminal Justice Issue Update - 2017 Issues Briefing (March 4, 2017)
  • Criminal Justice Issue Update - 2016 Issues Briefing (February 27, 2016)​
League Activity/Outlook

August 2016

Update on Bills sent to the Governor

If Governor Rauner does not take action on the bills, they will become law sixty days after the date they were sent to him. ** Designates legislation supported by the League.

HB114 requires the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) to file a "critical incident report" within ten (10) days after the occurrence of a critical incident involving a youth committed to the DJJ. Also requires the DJJ must file a detailed case plan with the court every 6 months for every juvenile held in detention facility. PA 99-0664

**HB4360 removes lifetime employment barriers in schools. PA 99-0667

**HB4515 changes the Health Care Worker Registry so that it focuses on the applicant’s eligibility for work, not whether they have obtained a waiver. PA 99-0872

HB5017 under certain conditions allows people to petition for the expungement of law enforcement and juvenile court orders if they were arrested, charged or adjudicated delinquent for an incident that occurred before their 18th birthday and would have been an offense if committed by an adult. PA99-0835

HB5572 creates the Sex Offenses and Sex Offender Registration Task Force to ensure that law enforcement and communities are able to identify and monitor high-risk sex offenders—and not unduly restrict low-level offenders. PA 99-0873

HB5594 Provides that drug court participants may not be required to refrain from using medication assisted treatment under the care of a physician as a term or condition of successful completion of the drug court. PA 99-0554

**HB5973 reduces occupational and business licensing barriers based on a criminal record for the professions of barbering, cosmetology, esthetics, hair braiding, nail technology, roofing and funeral services. PA 99-0876

HB6291 Prohibits incarcerating children for offenses that are Class 3 or 4 felony violations of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act (with some exceptions noted in the bill). Limits mandatory 5 year probation to children found guilty of first degree murder. Probation terms for Class X and forcible felonies are reduced to a minimum of 3 years, 2 years or 18 months depending on the offense. PA 99-0879

HB6328 no longer precludes a person with a conviction history from expunging a new arrest that didn't lead to a conviction. It waives fees for juvenile expungement, as well as for adult petitioners who obtain a court order. The bill institutes a county fee waiver pilot program that would waive fees for sealing and expungement. PA 99-0881

**SB42 establishes a robust review process that allows a health care professional with a forcible felony conviction (excluding any sex offenses) to petition the IDFPR to have their license restored following a wait period of 5 years since conviction or 3 years since completion of sentence. To Governor 6/29

**SB0320 creates the Mental Health Opportunities for Youth Diversion Task Force. Among its tasks is the development of an action plan to divert youth into the appropriate health care setting rather than initial or further involvement in the juvenile justice system. The action plan is to be completed and delivered with recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly within one year of the task force’s first meeting. PA 99-0697

SB2228 decriminalizes the possession of 10 grams or less of cannabis and the possession of any drug paraphernalia. These become civil law violations punishable by a minimum fine of $100 and a maximum fine of $200. PA 99-0697

SB2282 certain parole violations do not apply if parolee associates with other persons on parole in activities related to community programs, worship services, volunteering, and family activities. PA 99-0698

**SB2370 requires legal representation for children up to age 15 (previously, up to age 13) during interrogation in murder and sex offenses, expands videotaping of interrogations to all felonies and some misdemeanor offenses, and requires a modified version of the Miranda warning for children. PA 99-0882

**SB2465 bars Illinois from seeking reimbursement for incarceration costs from returning citizens who already face great challenges. Amendatory veto on August 19th

SB2601 concerning a person who has successfully completed alcohol or drug addiction treatment as a condition of probation, provides that if such a person qualifies for a vacation of the judgment of conviction, he or she must file a motion to vacate the judgment of conviction at any time from the date of the entry of the judgment to a date that is not more than 60 days after the discharge of the probation (rather than within 30 days of the entry of the judgment.) PA 99-0574

SB2777 Reclassifies certain crimes such as property damage, disorderly conduct and obstructing justice, as misdemeanors if committed by people fewer than 18 and Class 4 felonies if committed by people 18 and over. PA 99-0628

**SB3005 removes lifetime barriers to employment for people with records in Park Districts. PA 99-0884

SB 3164 requires review of a pre-sentencing report, as well as an explanation of why incarceration is appropriate for class 3 and 4 offenders with no prior probation sentences or prison convictions prior to sentencing. (Last year, nearly 60 percent of new prison admissions for Class 3 or 4 felonies had no prior convictions for violent crimes.) PA 99-0861

October 2014

On Monday, Sept. 15, at a conference entitled, “The Collaborative on Reentry: Redirecting Resources from Incarceration to Community,” speakers and panelists seemed in agreement that incarceration fails to restore people to society effectively and that alternatives to incarceration must be employed creatively and vigorously.

Issues Specialist Janet Kittlaus is willing to make a presentation to local Leagues on Juvenile Justice. The basic message is that we need to do everything possible to keep young people from entering a juvenile facility. Diversion and services are key to keeping young people at home; Redeploy Illinois has had great success in diverting young people from juvenile prisons. Juvenile prisons have serious problems: many staff are not well trained or are abusive, educational and mental health services are inadequate and solitary confinement is used when unwarranted. (But a comprehensive remedial plan is moving forward with parameters and timetables for implementation.)

September 2014

Update on Bills
These bills passed both houses and were sent to the Governor on the dates indicated:

  • HB2378 provides for the sealing of certain misdemeanor offenses (6/20)
  • HB5701 “Ban the Box,” also called “The Best Candidate for the Job Act,” provides that an employer may not inquire into or require disclosure of a job applicant's criminal record or criminal history before the candidate has been notified that the candidate has been selected for a job interview or has been offered a conditional offer of employment.
  • HB5686 improves guardianship so that incarcerated parents’ rights are protected and observed.

Working with the Criminal Justice Reform Committee
The Criminal Justice Advocates Coalition will attempt to mesh their priorities with the goals of the Joint Committee so that we can find common cause and produce good criminal justice legislation.

Reports of Interest

  • "How Conservatives Learned to Love Prison Reform" (Mother Jones, March/April). Red States are performing better at Criminal Justice Reform than Blue States.
  • "As Court Fees Rise, the Poor Are Paying the Price" (NPR). Increasing fines and fees for criminal defendants place an unequal burden on those without the means to pay.
  • The Hamilton Project of the Brookings Institution summarized "Ten Economic Facts about Crime and Incarceration in the United States." The full report can be accessed at this link.
Read More

To learn more, please contact the LWVIL Issues Committee at issues@lwvil.org.
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  • Home
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    • Where We Stand 2019-2021
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    • Civic Education
    • Representative Government >
      • Abolishing the Electoral College
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      • Constitution/Amendments
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  • News & Events
    • Issues Briefing 2020
    • 100th Anniversary Commemorative Luncheon
    • Events Calendar
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  • 100th Anniversary
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    • 100th Anniversary Tool Kit
  • Donate