Staff Reports
A bill to replace the term "offender" in state law with the phrase "justice-impacted individual" is being worked on by Illinois legislators. House Bill 4409 modifies the terminology used to describe criminals and includes the Illinois Department of Corrections as a representative on the Adult Redeploy Illinois oversight board.
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Senate Republicans have expressed their disapproval of this modification, claiming it could end up costing the tax payers thousands of dollars. The financial effects of the proposed move were questioned by Murphysboro-based state senator Terri Bryant, a Republican, who noted that numerous agencies would have to pay hefty costs to update their records.
However, Democratic State Senator Robert Peters of Chicago stressed the importance of paying attention to the oversight board's representation, stating that it would be advantageous to have more varied viewpoints, particularly those from people who have dealt with the criminal justice system.
Republicans, on the other hand, are strongly against the rewording, claiming that the victims of violent crimes should be the center of attention rather than what they called the "poor offender." Republican state senator from Springfield, Steve McClure, stressed the rise in crime rates and the significance of making people answerable for their deeds.
The law is awaiting the governor's next move after passing both the House and the Senate. The bill's supporters have emphasized the ARI program's effectiveness in lowering crime rates while also drawing attention to its eligibility restrictions, which are particularly stringent for first-time offenders.
Overall, the passing of the bill is a reflection of the continuing discussion between Republicans and Democrats on terminology used in criminal justice, with an emphasis on the victims of crime as well as the criminals themselves.
