IL Murder Data Base Law Goes Into Effect Jan. 1

[me]

New Year Brings 214 New Laws in Illinois
From a new murderer database to stricter seat-belt enforcement, here’s a look at some of the new legislation taking effect in the new year.

By Sabrina Wu 5:59 am   
As the clock strikes midnight Jan. 1, more than 200 new laws will go into effect in Illinois, including a database of first-degree murderers, stricter seat-belt enforcement and legislation that gives the public greater access to government information.

“Though many Illinois residents may not realize it, every Jan. 1, hundreds of new laws take effect in Illinois," said State Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont). "While some of the measures will have a greater impact than others, I always think it’s a good idea to let the public know about the new laws—some of them could have a significant influence on someone’s life or career."

Here's a look at some of the new laws:

Andrea's Law
Illinois residents and law enforcement agencies will be able to easily identify individuals convicted of first-degree murder with the establishment of a new public database.

House Bill 263, better known as "Andrea's Law", will require all former first-degree murder convicts to be on a registry for 10 years following their release from prison. They will be placed on the existing Sex Offender Registry or the amended Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registry.
The law is named after Andrea Will, a Batavia woman who was strangled to death by her boyfriend, Justin Boulay, while she was attending Eastern Illinois University in 1998. According to theHuffington Post, there was significant public outcry last winter when Boulay was freed after serving a sentence of only 12 years, and moved to Hawaii with his new wife.
“House Bill 263, Andrea’s Law, would not only finally service justice for Andrea, but also for all of the families who have lost a loved one at the hands of another,” Will's mother, Patty Rosenberg, toldBatavia Patch in March. “We need to make sure there is accountability for first-degree murder beyond the prison gate."
 

http://glenellyn.patch.com/articles/new-year-brings-214-new-laws-in-illinois-c1d8fde7

 

[webmari]

It's just beyond me what they feel they would gain by such a thing. When I think of my country, where the data of persons is protected and you won't even be able to find any pictures or names of a convicted person published anywhere. So why when a person has served his sentence should he be further listed somewhere. Once you have done your time then it is over with. Those people have the right to start a new life and also have a chance to find a job, a new love or whatsoever. But I guess I will never understand this attitude.

[Mrs. G]

webmari.. I'm with you on this one.. "But I guess I will never understand this attitude"

So I am not understanding this too well.. will they also have to follow all SO's rules and regulations? or just maintain in the database? I would assume they would have to keep registry uptodate on where they live.. so it will be as if they are SO's?? Right??? Just confused here on this new law..

They will be placed on the existing Sex Offender Registry or the amended Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registry.

[veracity]

None of the registries make sense because they don't provide any details. They just incite fear & hate. It's ironic they dubbed it Andrea's law considering her killer moved to Hawaii when he was released. He's not in Illinois and who in Hawaii is searching an IL murder registry? Our politicians need to look like their doing something so they address non issues instead of tackling the ones that really matter.

Clean Slate in 2012- Vote out ALL the incumbents!

[me]

New Illinois Murder Registry Takes Effect January First0/5 ratingPrint Article
 
Reported by: Mark Stevens
Tuesday, December 27 2011
   

More criminals who have served their sentences will have their current addresses made public.

Much like the sex offender list, Illinois' new murder registry will list released felons all in one public database.

The law takes effect January first.

Once a convicted murderer has finished their prison sentence, they'll now have to register where they're living in Illinois for another ten years. Senator Dave Syverson says the law gives the public greater access to sometimes shrouded records.

"Living in the neighborhood, working at their place of employment, dating their daughter is someone that has not just a criminal record but has a history of a murder conviction."

The registry will include murderers convicted in other states that have moved to Illinois. And it will also require murderers register that have been released since 2002.

"Now that doesn't mean that they didn't serve they're time and it doesn't meant that they're not rehabilitated it just means that as a consequence of the fact that they were found guilty of murder."

"You've sacrificed your right of privacy once you've committed an offense in this community."

Winnebago County State's Attorney Joe Bruscato says it's a good law. There's not that many murders outside of prison. But it enhances public safety.

"Public safety outweighs anybody's concerns for privacy because of the nature and gravity of the offense dictates that we should be knowledgeable of a person's whereabouts."

http://mystateline.com/fulltext-news?nxd_id=309427

[Ira]

Ugh... It's not going to help public safety, it's gonna make thing worse. Is it just me or the government is trying to make us people paranoid???? Checking everybody you know on all this registry lists that serve no purpose other than distribute hatred among people....

[webmari]

So, you are sentenced and you have done your time which is what you were sentenced for. And that means that I am free to do what I wish after that. But they are preventing this from happening. This guy in Hawaii who's crime started to give them yet another reason to intrude into your privacy, it may not effect him as much as those who are staying in the state. Why should they not have privacy and I really don't understand that organisations such as the ACLU or other human rights organisations dont't go and fight more for this nonsense to stop. They are entitled to another chance in finding a new life just as anyone else. I cannot understand this sex offender list either. There are some people on there for really minor things. And also in the USA, if you are CONVICTED of murder does not say in all cases that you actually ARE a murderer. There are lots of innocent persons still languishing in US prisons who never did commit the crime they are accused of commítting. I personally know a few of them. They do not even get a chance to prove their innocense. I wonder why in my country where each person committing murder, unless he is mentally disturbed or a serial killer or otherwise a danger to society, lives right in the midst us us without anyone even knowing about it. They only have to state that on their application forms for jobs but the aim of our society is to rehabilitate those people and give them an opportunity to start a new life. That is in our interest and not to have them return to prison time after time because everybody is making their outside life a living hell and prevents them from finding a job and providing for him or herself. Now is this the way they will have a chance for a new life, by exposing them to the public like that? I don't even understand that their mugshots are published for everyone worldwide to see. What good now does it do? Except for giving some sick people who happen to even live outside of prison walls a chance to try and make their new lives miserable. When will people ever learn to respect a human being the way it is even laid out in their own laws. They treat their prisoners disrespectful when the punishment they are supposed to get is to be locked up for a certain amount of time. Why is it, they can decide to further take away their dignity and their right of privacy after they have done their times. How can they sentence children to LWOP and how can they even have a death penalty and LWOP and a law of parties, torture inmates and all sorts of things and get away with it. Where is the protest from ALL people, it is their human rights at stake in general. If they allow this to happen to the most vulnerable members of society, instead of trying to help them, what kind of a society is that???? I have asked myself that so many times because I cannot understand it. Some Americans in my country that I have come to be in contact with and who have a Hispanic background tell me that they are so glad that they can speak Spanish while in the public over here because they have felt the hostility towards Americans not only in my country but others where they have served in the army. So yes, unfortunately that is how it is and the most hateful persons are those who probably never travel much and never look at what is going on in the world and feel content to nourish their hate and the politicians work with that to make things for people even worse instead of better and they don't even notice it. Until they or one of their own loved ones gets tangled into this justice system and see firsthand what it is about. Chances are not even bad for that to happen with every 1 out of 100 persons being incarcerated in the USA. Is that something to be proud of??? They should not incarcerate people for every little bit and then keep them there for far too long and things would be a lot different in a positive way. But I know this is far more complex and far too many people are making money out of this prison system and all that goes with it. So until society will have different values than hate and revenge and is misguided to fear each murderer or sex offender that is in a prison in such a way that they believe that they are safe only as long as this person is locked up, until they realise that this is a big fairy tale that they are told by authorities, just one out of so many, there won't be a change. The change can only come when the people see how they are played and want to change that. But most people never educate themselves enough and find it more convenient to be taken in by the swollen words of some politician who makes up his mind for them and they don't have to use their own brain. Unfortunately there are some of those in every country. But how the people in the USA have gotten so brain washed by politicians, I will never know. Maybe it is because there are only 2 relevant parties that they can vote. There is no variety and no real competition. When I think of here, how many parties we have and there are some new ones coming up every now and then. I am not that familiar with the US polictics but they are teaching people the wrong things especially when it comes to humanity. But I am confident that they will be forced to correct themselves in the end because it is all a matter of money and they are wasting their money by incarcerating too many people for too long. There are better things to do with that money that will benefit society much more than this being too tough on crime. Sorry for being so long. I know so many human rights activists agree with what I say but it would be good if the people of the USA could be brought to look at things differently by setting aside this revenge thoughts and instead remember that forgiving and moving on will do much more for a person than hate and revenge. Those are negative feelings in every aspect.

[Forevermah]

Webmari, you might want to break up your posts into paragraphs, you go on and on and your posts are very hard to read.  I am sure I am not the only one that passes them by, because it is all run together!!!

[Mrs. G]

I just hope somewhere along there will be definite information on this new law and make the rules and regulations more clear for us all to have to follow and not guess what needs to be done, I would hate for many to be in violation of this new law and have to go back to the crowded prisons all because things were not spelled out correctly and questions were unanswered.

[me]

Here is a copy of the exact law that is going into affect.  Public Act 097-0154



http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/97/PDF/097-0154.pdf

[Forevermah]

We have talked about this before, please go to this topic/post for more clarification:


http://www.illinoisprisontalk.org/index.php/topic,22241.msg189892.html#msg189892

From that post:


My understanding, is that it is a database for people who committed 1st degree murder and those who were convicted BEFORE the TIS laws went into affect, because those inmates served only 50% of their sentences.  Today anyone convicted of 1st degree murder, the charge is life or 100% of sentence.

Under Reboletti’s bill, Boulay and anyone else convicted of murder before truth-in-sentencing went in to effect would have to register for 10 years and remain in an online database for the same period. The database would include the convicted murderer’s name, photograph, residence, place of work, among other information.


Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Department of State Police shall establish and maintain a Statewide First Degree Murderer Database for the purpose of identifying persons convicted of first degree murder, when the murder was committed before June 19, 1998, who have been released from a penal institution or other facility after the completion of their confinement and making that information available to the public. Provides that the information in the Database shall be the names, residence addresses, places of employment, and schools attended by these offenders, and photographs of the offenders. Provides that the Department of State Police shall require such first degree murderers to register with the Department for a period of 10 years following release.

[Mrs. G]

I will read it all .. thanks

[TimeStandsStill]

Illinois registry of convicted murderers tops 500

The Associated Press
Posted Apr 24, 2012 @ 08:28 AM


An Illinois state registry for first-degree murder convicts has topped 500 people.

The (Bloomington) Pantagraph reports that 528 convicts who have completed their sentences and been released are on the registry, which was created by a new law that went into effect in January.

The database is similar to the sex offender registry. It includes names, addresses, employment places, schools attended and photos for offenders for up to 10 years after their release from prison.

The legislation was called "Andrea's Law" after Andrea Will, an Eastern Illinois University student killed in 1998 by her former boyfriend, who was released from prison in 2010.

Her mother, Patricia Rosenberg, said the website would allow people to know whether a convicted murderer is living nearby.

http://www.sj-r.com/thedome/x1780489941/Illinois-registry-of-convicted-murderers-tops-500

[me]

Is it just me - or are they trying to make it sound like over 500 people convicted of 1st degree murder have gotten out since January???   This was back dated - and anyone who was convicted under the TIS had to register even though they were already out....
Another way to "scare" the public. 

[chantygirl]

The way it reads, is saying that there are that many people on the registry who have been released.  The law went into effect in January, so that's when the list started compiling.  In truth, there are that many 1st degree murderers who've been released after serving 50% of their sentence.  It could be over the last 20 years for all we know.  It doesn't actually say that they've been released since January, although that does seem to be what they want the public to believe.  One of those "OMG, there's that many murders in the state?!?  I wonder how many live around here?!?"  It's nothing more than a scare tactic, and another reason for lawmakers to push for harsher/longer sentences.  Truth be known, they'd love to lock em up and throw away the keys, regardless of the crime.