Following his first year in office, I posted an article about Governor Bruce Rauner’s record of granting clemency. Since then, little has changed. Governor Rauner granted the same percentage of petitions in 2016 as he did in 2015: a mere 3.6%. In 2016, Governor Rauner granted 42 petitions, while denying 1,110. The governor’s clemency approval rate is a far cry from what it used to be. Under Governor Pat Quinn, one-quarter to one-third of petitions were granted annually.
Read MoreDuring the most recent legislative session, the Illinois General Assembly considered several bills that would improve employment and licensing opportunities for people who have a criminal record or, in one case, keep someone from getting a criminal record.
Read MoreRecently, at a forum I gave on the impact of having a criminal background, I was asked if convicted felons have voting rights in Illinois. I gave an answer that I later learned was only partially correct.
Read MoreLast year, after Governor Rauner ruled on his second batch of clemency petitions, in a June 2015 blog post, I wrote that there were few clues to explain why 7 people were granted clemency and 57 were denied clemency. Since that posting, Governor Rauner went on to grant an additional 30 petitions. All told, in 2015, 37 petitions were granted (3.6%) and 1001 petitions were denied. The governor’s office says it will review petitions for clemency on a regular basis. In 2015, petitions were granted in April, May, July, September, November, and December.
Read MoreI am always surprised to meet someone who still believes s/he is better off lying about their criminal record when applying for a job. With employer background checks a routine fact of life, the truth about your background comes out.
Read MoreBeginning in 2016, the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County ("Court Clerk") will no longer be able to charge a 10% bond processing fee on a cash bond, regardless of the amount.
Currently, Illinois permits Court Clerks throughout the state to charge a bond processing fee equal to 10% of a criminal defendant's bond. On the recommendation of the Cook County Board, the Illinois General Assembly agreed to amend the law. The amendment caps bond processing fees at $100 in counties with 3 million or more residents.
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