There’s a lot to know about sex offender laws. It’s kind of complicated, and for those that want more information is can take hours to learn everything you might need to know. The laws that govern how every Illinois sex offender must register and where they can live and work. There are consequences that the offenders must face if they are found to be in violation of any of the ordinances and those punishments can be pretty strict depending on what they’re in violation of. Today we’re gonna take a look at 6 facts about sex offender laws in Illinois.
Table of Contents
There are Limitations on Where Registered Sex Offenders can Live or Even Exist.
To ensure the safety of children there are restrictions on where sex offenders are allowed to live or be. For instance, no registered sex offender is allowed to knowingly be within 500 feet of a school unless they are a parent of one of the students. Sex offenders also aren’t allowed to live within 500 feet of any school, public park, playground, or any facility that offers services that cater only to minors.
Illinois Sex Offenders Are Required to Register for a Specific Amount of Time
The title of this fact could be perceived as a little misleading, but only in one category. Sex offenders that are deemed to be violent must register for life. Sex offenders that aren’t required to register for life are required to register for 10 years.
The Penalties for Not Complying with the Registration Laws are Strict.
Illinois wants to be sure that it’s keeping track of its sex offenders as best it can. That’s why failing to comply results in a class 4 felony as a minimum charge.
Law Enforcement Verifies the Information Provided by Sex Offenders.
While the Illinois State Police doesn’t handle this task, local police check the information provided by sex offenders to ensure that they are actually living where they claim to be living. This is a measure to ensure that the laws in place to keep people safe are working as they were designed to.
Sex Offenders in Illinois have a Time Frame to Register.
It may come as a bit of a surprise to you that sex offenders aren’t required to register immediately after they move. That being said, they do have a strict timeframe to register that if they fail to register within they’ll be considered to be in non-compliance. All sex offenders in Illinois must register within 30 days of entering any county, and 10 days after any change of address.
Sex Offenders Convicted Out-Of-State Must Still Adhere to Illinois Registration Requirements.
Not every state requires transplant sex offenders to register under its own laws, but Illinois doesn’t care if the offender was convicted in another state. All sex offenders in Illinois are subject to the same rules and regulations as well as the same punishments for non-compliance. This is to ensure that the sex offender laws in Illinois are applied uniformly to all sex offenders. That allows the laws to run exactly as they were designed to no matter where an offender was convicted.
There’s Still So Much to Learn.
This article barely scratches the surface of Illinois’ sex offender legislation. There are even attorneys that specialize in sex crime law. Fortunately, if you want more information about sex offender laws in Illinois there are a whole lot of resources available all over the internet for those that want to learn. Learning about sex offender registration laws can help you keep yourself and your family safe because it allows you to know exactly what level of information is available about specific offenders, what charges they can face exactly, and a lot more.
***Registered Offenders List is a free online resource that strives to offer helpful content and resources to its visitors regarding registered sex offenders that live near you.