House Approves Registry for Convicted Murderers

By aaroncynic in News on Apr 7, 2011 2:30PM

The Illinois House passed “Andrea's Law” by a 97 to 1 vote yesterday, a measure which would require those convicted of first-degree murder to appear on a registry similar to that of sex offenders or arsonists. If it passes the Senate, the bill would require those convicted of first-degree murder, when the murder took place before June of 1998, to appear on a registry with the State Police for 10 years. There are nearly 500 first-degree murderers currently on parole.

The Sun-Times reports Rep. Dennis Reboletti (R-Elmhurst), chief sponsor of the bill, said “I think it would serve to allow all our communities to know who resides there, who our family members are associated with ... so that we know where these murderers live, that we are able to track their movement.” Patricia Rosenberg, mother of the bill's namesake, Andrea Faye Will told the Sun Times “First-degree murder, if you have to live with that for the rest of your life as a perpetrator … should you just be able to walk away?” Will's murderer — her ex-boyfriend Justin Boulay, was paroled in November and moved to Hawaii to live with his now wife.

The sole dissenting voice (four House members voted present), Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) argued that such a registry could create another stigma for convicted murderers, making it more difficult for them to reintegrate into society. Davis also said it could increase recidivism rates and asked where such criminal registries would stop.