Study: Illinois Far Behind, Too Harsh With Juvenile Sex Offenders on Registry, Discipline, by Lily Oberman, The Chicago Bureau
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CHICAGO – The Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission released their report on juvenile sex offenders and registration practices Tuesday, with a leading author calling the current rules and regulations to protect children “patchwork,” and “complicated and confusing.”
“Even professionals don’t always understand what’s required under Illinois law,” said Lisa Jacobs, the vice chair of the commission and the program manager for the Models for Change juvenile justice initiative in Illinois.
The 150-page report, spearheaded by the chair of the IJJC, George W. Timberlake (a regular contributor to the JJIE), details the commission’s eight major findings and makes three main recommendations to the Illinois General Assembly and Governor Pat Quinn.
Illinois is “not in the mainstream” with its juvenile sex offender registration practices, Timberlake said. It is one of 20 states that places juvenile sex offenders on the sex offender registry, and there is very little flexibility when it comes to determining who must register.
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