Child Abusers Face Tougher Penalties

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[April 04, 2008]  SPRINGFIELD -- Under new legislation, Senate Bill 2159, sponsored by Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, the legal system will be able to properly punish a person who commits aggravated battery of a young child. The legislation unanimously passed out of the Illinois Senate and now goes to the House for approval.

"This bill is in response to an actual case where a child under 13 was physically abused on two occasions and in each case the abuser was only given a misdemeanor charge," said Bomke. "Children need our protection, and a misdemeanor is not a strong enough sentence for this type of crime."

The Springfield Police Department, in particular a detective who works on children and family cases, brought this proposal to Bomke’s attention recently. The detective believes that significant harm can be inflicted to a child that warrants a felony charge in certain instances.

Senate Bill 2159 addresses a gap in the penalties for harm to a child under 13. Under current law, aggravated battery of a child is a Class X felony if it results in great bodily harm, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement to a child under 13. However, absent those conditions, police can only charge an individual with misdemeanor battery charges.

Bomke’s proposal would create a new Class 3 felony for aggravated battery if the victim is under 13.

[Text from file sent on behalf of Sen. Larry Bomke by Illinois Senate Republican staff]

 

 

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