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Sex Offender Registration in Illinois

The Illinois sex offender registry is a list of individuals who have been convicted of certain crimes. The list is public, and it’s available online. The registry includes information such as the person’s address, the crime committed, and their photograph.

If a person is charged, but acquitted, of a sex crime, they are not required to register as a sex offender. Registration is for those individuals who are convicted, as well as those who receive a sentence other than conviction, such as probation.

The list of crimes requiring registration includes criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse, child pornography, three or more convictions for public indecency, permitting sexual abuse of a child, etc. These offenses – whether a misdemeanor or a felony – require sex offender registration. For a full list of crimes requiring registration, see below. Individuals convicted of an attempt to commit these crimes may be required to register, as well.

In general, sex offenders must register each year for 10 years following their conviction. This means that every year the offender must go, in person, to the police department of the city where they live, or the county sheriff’s department if the offender lives outside of a city. The 10 years begins either upon conviction (for those who receive probation) or upon release (for those who are incarcerated).

Certain convictions require more frequent registration or registration for a longer period of time. Offenders who are deemed “sexually violent” or “sexually dangerous” may be required to register every 90 days for life. These are people with a mental disorder, as well as a higher likelihood of committing a sexual offense or sexually violent offense. Sexual predators must register every year for life. For a list of crimes of a sexual predator, see below.

Local law enforcement departments are required to take a picture of each offender every time they register. These photographs are sent to the state police and posted on the Illinois State Police website, where the sex offender registration list is made available. Anyone can search the registration through the website, locating registered sex offenders in their neighborhood or throughout the state.

Registration requirements are meant to keep track of people convicted of sex crimes. If a sex offender moves within Illinois, they have three days to notify both the law enforcement agency where they moved from and where they are moving to. If an offender stays elsewhere in Illinois, away from their home, for more than three days in a year, they are required to register in that location as well. Similarly, if an individual from another state visits Illinois for more than three days in a year, they are required to register with the local law enforcement where they are staying.

Victims and their parents may sign up for automatic notification when the relevant sex offender moves. Automatic notification is handled by the state police.

In addition, law enforcement keeps school districts and private schools up-to-date on sex offenders in the area. Child sex offenders are not allowed within 500 feet of a school or on the school grounds without permission of the superintendent or school board (unless they are a parent and they need to go to the school for a conference about their child). However, there are no laws prohibiting a sex offender from living in a household with a child.

If you have been arrested or charged with a crime listed below, or any crime, it’s important to hire an attorney right away to protect your rights. Being required to register as a sex offender isn’t merely an inconvenience; it can quite honestly ruin a person’s life. The law makes the list of sex offenders easily accessible to everyone – employers, neighbors, teachers, friends and family members. If you are facing charges for one of these crimes and need a referral to an experienced criminal defense attorney, contact us. It’s completely free and confidential.

More information:

The Illinois State Police list the following offenses as requiring registration:

Indecent Solicitation of a Child, Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Soliciting for a Juvenile Prostitute, Keeping a place of Juvenile Prostitution, Patronizing a Juvenile Prostitute, Juvenile Pimping, Exploitation of a Child, Child Pornography, Aggravated Child Pornography, Criminal Sexual Assault, Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault, Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child, Criminal Sexual Abuse, Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, Ritualized Abuse of a Child, Forcible Detention, if the victim is under age 18, Indecent Solicitation of an Adult, Soliciting for a Prostitute, if the victim is under age 18, Pandering, if the victim is under age 18, Patronizing, if the victim is under age 18, Pimping, if the victim is under age 18, Public Indecency for a third or subsequent conviction, Custodial Sexual Misconduct (if convicted on or after August 22, 2002), Sexual Misconduct with a Person with a Disability, Permitting Sexual Abuse of a Child; Kidnapping, if the victim is under age 18 and the defendant is not a parent of the victim and the offense was sexually motivated as defined in Section 10 of the Sex Offender Management Board Act and the offense was committed on or after January 1, 1996; Aggravated Kidnapping, if the victim is under age 18 and defendant is not the parent of the victim and the offense was sexually motivated as defined in Section 10 of the Sex Offender Management Board Act and the offense was committed on or after January 1, 1996; Unlawful Restraint, if the victim is under age 18 and the defendant is not the parent of the victim and the offense was sexually motivated as defined in Section 10 of the Sex Offender Management Board Act and the offense was committed on or after January 1, 1996; Aggravated Unlawful Restraint, if the victim is under age 18 and the defendant is not the parent of the victim and the offense was sexually motivated as defined in Section 10 of the Sex Offender Management Board Act and the offense was committed on or after January 1, 1996; Child Abduction by luring a child under 16 into a vehicle or building and the offense was sexually motivated as defined in Section 10 of the Sex Offender Management Board Act; First Degree Murder of a Child, victim under age 18 and the offense was sexually motivated as defined in Section 10 of the Sex Offender Management Board Act. Any attempts to commit any of the offenses listed above also requires registration.

A sexual “predator” is someone convicted of the following offenses or convicted of attempting to commit the following offenses:

Keeping a Place of Juvenile Prostitution; Juvenile Pimping; Exploitation of a Child; Child Pornography; Aggravated Child Pornography; Criminal Sexual Assault, if the victim is under age 12; Criminal Sexual Assault, regardless of the victim's age (if convicted on or after January 1,2006); Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault; Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault; Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse; Ritualized Abuse of a Child; Conviction of first degree murder, when the victim was a person under 18 years of age and the defendant was at least 17 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense and the offense was sexually motivated as defined in Section 10 of the Sex Offender Management Board Act; Certified as a Sexually Dangerous Person pursuant to the Sexually Dangerous Persons Act or any substantially similar federal, sister state, or foreign country law; Found to be Sexually Violent pursuant to the Sexually Violent Commitment Act or any substantially similar federal, sister state, or foreign country law; Convicted of a 2nd or subsequent offense, after July 1, 1999 which would require registration pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Act; or a conviction for an offense of federal law, Uniform Code of Military Justice, law of another state or foreign country that is substantially equivalent to any of the these offenses listed above.

More information can be found on the Illinois State Police website: http://www.isp.state.il.us/sor/sor.cfm.