Illinois gov. signs bill barring police from lying to juveniles

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed several bills into law this week, including one that prohibits the use of deceptive tactics by all law enforcement when interrogating a minor.

According to NPR Illinois, that law is the first of its kind in the country.

National law enforcement organizations and training agencies have advocated against lying to minors, saying that deceptive interrogation techniques increase the likelihood of a minor making a false confession.
 
While the use of deceptive tactics was deemed permissible by the judiciary in 1969, today members of both the 7th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals and Illinois Court of Appeals have condemned the use of deceptive practices when interrogating minors because of the risk it poses in producing false confessions, according to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Senate Bill 2122, which effect January 1, 2022, outlaws this practice.

Other bills signed into law include:

• Senate Bill 64, which encourages the use of restorative justice practices by providing that participation in such practices and anything said or done during the practice is privileged and may not be used in any future proceeding unless the privilege is waived by the informed consent of the party or parties covered by the privilege. Sponsored by State Sen. Robert Peters (D-Chicago) and State Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Champaign), the bill takes effect immediately.
• Senate Bill 2129, which allows the State’s Attorney of a county in which a defendant was sentenced to petition for resentencing of the offender if the original sentence no longer advances the interests of justice. Sponsored by Peters and State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago), the bill takes effect January 1, 2022.
• House Bill 3587, which creates the Resentencing Task Force Act to study ways to reduce Illinois’ prison population via resentencing motions. Sponsored by Peters and State Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago), the bill takes effect immediately.