Life Sentences are No Longer “For Life” in Illinois starting 2024

You could be sent to prison for a "life sentence" and be able to walk free one day thanks to a new law starting in Illinois in 2024. Here are the details on how a life sentence doesn't necessarily mean "for life" anymore in the Land of Lincoln...

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According to mystateline.com, life sentences can no longer be given without the opportunity for parole in Illinois after serving 40 years of their life sentence. In the article, they say...

" Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a law that takes effect on January 1st, 2024, that would make it impossible for young offenders to be given a life sentence without the possibility of parole...the bill doesn’t ensure that victims or their families will be notified when the person convicted of the crime becomes eligible for parole."

EDIT: According to the Restore Justice Foundation the information in the mystateline.com, article about ANYONE over 21 being eligible is incorrect, it is just for the offenders under 21.

To read more about this new law taking effect in Illinois starting in 2024, click here!

Is this fair?

This scenario is now a real one, a 20-year-old could commit a horrible murder, be sentenced to life in prison here in Illinois, and walk out of prison as a free person at the age of 60.

Is that fair? I don't know the answer to that question. I do know that it isn't fair to the victim's family that the law doesn't REQUIRE the state to notify them when the criminal is eligible for parole, that is extremely unfair to the victim's family.

Will this actually make Illinois a safer place? You would hope that after spending 40 years in prison someone would be reformed and could come back into society as a productive member, but that is putting a LOT of faith into our prisons, and I am not so sure that is a good thing to put faith into...