Next Up: Register Murderers

3-18-2011 Illinois:

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (IRN) – There are already registries in Illinois for sex offenders and child murderers, but a bill that’s headed to the Illinois House would create a registry for first degree murderers.

The registry “would be the first of its kind in the nation and would require first degree murderers, upon release from prison, to register with local law enforcement their whereabouts for a period of ten years,” said sponsoring State Rep. Dennis Reboletti (R-Elmhurst).

As with the sex offender registry, Illinois State Police would post first degree murderers’ names, addresses, places of employment and a photo of each on the registry website so the public can know who lives next door. “And if they don’t register, it would be a class 4 felony which would be punishable by 1-3 years in prison,” said Reboletti.

If a murderer has been out for ten years and has had no problems with police, then they would not be required to register. First degree murderers who move to Illinois from out-of-state would be required to let police know of their whereabouts “because these are people moving into communities that we’ve never met, or our communities have no idea about,” said Reboletti.

As for Illinois, Reboletti says the number of people in the Illinois Department of Corrections who would be subject to this is shocking. “There are about four to five hundred on parole right now, and the Department indicated to us it would be about 3,500 that have potential for being released that would also be a part of this registry,” he said.

HB263 passed the House Criminal Law Committee unanimously and now heads to the House. ..Source.. by CBS St Louis