The mission of Illinois Voices is to educate the public, the media, law-enforcement, educators, faith based organizations, and legislators regarding the facts, based on current research, of sexual abuse. We support the prevention of child sexual abuse through carefully structured laws that target violent, forced, and/or dangerous predatory acts of sex against children. Existing laws encompass a wide range of offenders and require the exact same resources be used for both violent, dangerous offenders and those whose offenses were neither violent, forced, or dangerous.

Current laws, as structured, are not keeping our children safe. They are, in fact, costing the taxpayer millions of dollars to prosecute, monitor, incarcerate, and severely punish many individuals who are of no danger to children, society, or the communities in which they live. We believe that laws which will truly benefit the safety of our children, and society in general, must differentiate between those who are dangerous offenders and those who are not. Current laws are based on hysteria and myths. We are here to provide educational information about the truth behind this hysteria and the, "stranger danger" myth gripping this nation with fear, and ruining the lives of many people who are not the monsters we have been led to believe.

Illinois Voices lobbies for the following:

• Reform of public registries and residency restrictions for low risk and teenage sex offenders.
• Reform of State and Federal laws that promote a one size fits all policy that demonize our youth, and those forced to register, that have never abused a child or pose no threat to children.
• To return sex offender registries back to their original intent, which is to track violent sexual predators.

If you believe the only way you can become a "sex offender" is to hurt a child or rape someone, you are wrong. The following is a list of offenses that can land you on the sex offender registry:

• Teen consensual sex (when there is a 2, 3 or 4 year age difference);
• Children as young as 9 who are accused of sexual harassment in schools for arguably harmless conduct, including "playing doctor;"
• Urinating in public;
• Adult prostitution (adults who sell sex to other adults);
• Exposing genitals in public (even without realizing someone is watching);
• Teens posting nude or semi-nude photos of themselves on MySpace or other social networking sites;
• Teens emailing or texting nude or partially nude photos of themselves or others;
• Parents taking innocent pictures of their children in the bathtub or bathing suits;
• Teens sharing pornographic magazines with other teens;
• Older teens asking younger teens if they want a ride;
• Viewing pornographic websites that may contain younger girls, even though their disclaimer states they are of age.

Current sex offender laws are not working. Reform is necessary to protect society, especially children, and to find a way to reintegrate those who have offended. Current laws are over-broad, over-inclusive, and do not distinguish between violent sex offenders and non-violent persons charged with sexually based crimes. Applying tough sanctions without regard to the actual danger posed by all convicted offenders actually makes us less safe. Law enforcement spends a great deal of time and money keeping tabs on those who pose little risk – keeping them from focusing on the high-risk offenders. Pouring scarce resources into monitoring all persons convicted of sexually based crimes means less money for programs to prevent sexual violence.

News of horrific crimes committed by a convicted sex offender inevitably led to widespread calls for increasing the scope of sex offender registration and community notification laws. Many people charged with sex-based crimes remain on the public registry for the rest of their lives, regardless of the seriousness of their offence, the current threat they might pose, or their progress toward rehabilitation. Penalties for violations of our current laws are harsher than the actual punishment for the crime itself.

This website has a summary of resources and fact-based research, including the following topics:

• Distinguishing between non-violent and violent offenders is necessary and cost-effective;
• Recidivism is much lower than believed;
• Residency restrictions do not prevent future crimes; yet they cause loss of security, loss of stability, homelessness, and a greater chance that offenders will stop registering;
• Community notification does nothing to protect society; however, it does increase vigilante violence and loss of employment;
• Treatment works.

Rather than calling for tougher sex offender monitoring laws, we need a new approach to deal with convicted sex offenders who have re-entered the community. We need a new approach to distinguish between the violent sex offenders and non-violent persons charged with sexually based crimes. We need a way to find an end to punishment, especially for those who are not sexually violent. We need to focus on educational tools and inform society that the majority of future sex crimes will be committed by trusted individuals within their family or group of friends. We need to stand up and admit that our goal of protecting society by pushing for harsher sex offender laws has not worked and that more-effective laws are in the works. We must find a way to address the true problem: How to prevent future victims.

Facts and Fiction About Sex Offenders
[click here for report]

Fact sheet
[click here]

If you would like to help reform our current laws, please click on the Contact Us tab. We are looking for those who are willing to stand up for their rights and the rights of others who have been labeled as sex offenders for non-violent crimes. You can also be added to our mailing list for updates. If you have skills that may be helpful, please let us know. We are looking to expand and we need your help. More specifically, we need people who are willing to write to our politicians asking for reform and to stop the furtherance of bills that are being passed to make life more difficult (even without proof that these laws will protect anyone). We need people who are willing to speak out about the unjust sex offenders laws and help educate society.

Our lawmakers need to hear from you. Bills are being passed and new laws are taking affect without any public notification or input. CLICK HERE to see how you can help.