Staff Reports
Illinois lawmakers are thinking about changing the word “offender” to “justice-impacted individual” when talking about those found guilty of a crime to modernize language in state laws. Proposed House Bill 4409 has created strong disagreements between Democrats and Republicans in the state legislature.
Republican lawmakers like State Sen. Terri Bryant are not happy with this possible change. They say that altering the language on official documents costs a lot of taxpayer money. Bryant thinks that constantly changing how we talk about criminals doesn’t make sense and is a waste of money. State Sen. Steve McClure believes that it looks like there is a hurry to remove accountability from people who break the law. McClure mentioned a sad case where a man who had just been released from jail killed an 11-year-old child.
Illinois Lawmakers Seek To Call Criminals ‘Justice-Impacted Individuals’ Instead Of ‘Offenders’ https://t.co/U74SdyJ8p4 via @DailyCaller
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On the other side, Democratic State Sen. Robert Peters is in favor of the new term. He believes that the language used is important for helping people who have been in the criminal justice system. Peters thinks that calling someone a “justice-impacted individual” highlights their personal story and can help in their recovery.
The bill to change the language has been approved by both the House and Senate. It will soon go to the governor for approval. This change shows a bigger national debate about how we talk about crime and criminals. Some people believe that the new term is more respectful and supportive, while others worry that it hides the seriousness of criminal actions.
