St. Rep. Dennis Tipsword says Illinois needs to outlaw being a criminal again. The former Woodford County sheriff’s deputy says one bill the General Assembly is considering would take away the concept of holding juvenile offenders accountable for what they did.
Another bill calls for parole hearings for people who were sent to prison for life without parole.
And another would get rid of the habitual criminal statute, which some call a three-strikes-you’re-out law. Its critics say some people go back to prison for very long sentences for minor offenses.
Tipsword says the legislature will create victim after victim because lawmakers refuse to deal with criminals. He says the bills have come out of committee and he believes they’re likely to be debated on the House floor.
Here’s an interview WCMY News had with St. Rep. Tipsword on March 21, 2023