We MUST collect 10,000 - 30,000 signatures to eliminate:
1-Law of Accountability is amended as follows: (720 ILCS 5/5-2) (from Ch. 38, par. 5-2) ...(c) When 2 or more persons engage in a common criminal design .... Mere presence at the scene of a crime does not render a person accountable for an offense; [strike the following statement: a person's presence at the scene of a crime, however, may be considered with other circumstances by the trier of fact when determining accountability --end striking].
2-End searches of vehicles & domiciles where there is no search warrant & thus probable cause.
RATIONALE: There has been a decades-long abuse of power with the absence of a search warrant wherein the citizen engaged by law enforcement is cajoled and surreptitiously or directly threatened with unsubstantiated charges.
3-Mandatory minimums & maximums are hereby abolished & sentencing is capped at ten years, with the exception being a defendant commits murder of two or more people. The sentence would then be capped at 20 years with 50% required premised on the totality of the sentence. RATIONALE: Statistics have proven that lengthy sentences severely compromise an incarcerated individual's mental and emotional health. Nor is public safety compromised.
4-Plea bargaining is hereby abolished.
RATIONALE: Prosecutors utilize it to upstage a lengthy pretrial and potential trial. Further, it has the look of a quasi--threat with the intent of invoking apprehension in a detainee.
5-Public defenders must have the necessary resources to perform their work with their caseloads capped at 15.
RATIONALE: Under no circumstances can a public defender develop an excellent defense on behalf of his clients given the current volume of cases imposed upon him. There must be no difference in the quality of defense be the lawyer a public or private defense counsel.
6-Criminal Charges must be aligned with the actual crime committed & approved by an independent body, the members of which shall be randomly selected via application to various institutions with such applicants vetted by the defense and prosecutorial counsel representing their respective clients. The members shall not exceed 15 and shall serve for a two year term.
RATIONALE: Too frequently, in their quest to win by any means necessary, prosecutors will lodge the harshest, but not necessarily the fairest, charges against a detainee.
7-Every jail detainee shall have a Mitigation Report prepared on his behalf to humanize and thus disclose a qualitative assessment of him.
RATIONALE: Prosecutors too often depict a detainee as a horrible and discreditable individual.
8-Sexual assault/sexual abuse must be validated by forensic evidence & physical exam results. A verbal accusation statement alone issued by a victim shall not suffice nor be utilized to convict an alleged offender.
RATIONALE: Evidence has disclosed that accusers will too often falsely accuse someone close to them of a crime that lacks credibility because of anger towards the accused and thus the intent to "get even with the accused".
9-Policemen must obtain liability insurance
RATIONALE: Police must bear financial responsibility for deploying excessive force when less harsh methods could be deployed.
10-Police must reside in the communities they patrol.
RATIONALE: Being familiar with and thus comprehending the culture and mores of the citizens of a community must be imperative with the intent of establishing a relationship with residents.
11-Truth-in-sentencing laws are hereby abolished and every incarcerated individual’s sentence shall be adjusted in accordance with the imposition of his sentence.
RATIONALE: Statutes mandating minimum and maximum prison time have contributed enormously to excessive sentencing. Further, the salient outcome has been the longest Sentences rendered to Black males which has contributed to mass incarceration and thus a lopsided imprisonment of the population of Black youth and men with a contributory destabilization of the nuclear family.
12-With the completion of a sentence, all citizen rights are restored to a returning citizen, with no restrictions or fees & fines or other barriers limiting life, liberty & the pursuit of constitutional happiness.
RATIONALE: The imposition of impediments to remind an individual they were once a Prisoner serves only to exasperated the mental and emotional state of such a person.
13-Every inmate shall sign up for IDOC classes towards their rehabilitation, including classes for obtainment of the General Education Diploma, vocational certifications in numerous trades and associate and bachelor degree programs.
RATIONALE: Every inmate deserves the opportunity to rehabilitate himself. Otherwise he is being denied the opportunity to develop the skills necessary for success in America’s free society.
14-Police will be required to pay 100% of any settlement wherein they caused the killing or maiming of a citizen. Alternatively, a policeman will pay 1/2 of the settlement wherein they were a contributing factor in the death or maiming of an individual.
RATIONALE: The citizens of a city are not required to bear the financial burden perpetrated by for example a medical doctor, attorney, engineer or other professionals whose performance result in the demise or physical incapacitation of an individual. The same principle shall apply to police.
15-Drug abuse of a substance (i.e. crack cocaine, powder cocaine, fentenyl, opiod, methamphetamine & ecstasy, for example) is to be treated as a mental illness, with treatment provided.
RATIONALE: The standard shall be consistent, without the possibility of drug usage ever being treated as a criminal activity.
16-Imposition of the gun enhancement statute is hereby abolished.
RATIONALE: The statute has served only to exasperate excessive sentences; however, reduced institution of the statute has not reduced crime.
17-An independent body is hereby established to overseer & ensure Good Time credit is awarded to incarcerated and pre sentenced individuals in accordance with the specificity of the (Illinois Criminal Statute: 730, 5/3-6-3)
RATIONALE: Neither prison staff at various prison facilities nor prison hierarchy are complying with the statute. Disparaged rulings has in lieu been the norm of decision-making.
18--Every individual interested to join Illinois law enforcement shall submit to a psychological test. Once admitted, each individual must submit, annually, to a psychological exam to ensure their mental health enables them to perform according to the mandates of the city of employment of the law enforcement person.
RATIONALE: The nature of policing is so personal that those in the industry must prove mental and emotional fitness for the work. A well-prepared psychological exam designed by a notable psychologist will ferret out those who lack the ability to perform police work.
19--The name of police officer shall be changed to peace officer.
RATIONAL: Use a term aligned with the roll of law enforcement personnel that implies a courteous stance rather than a punitive one.
20-- Use of DNA, other forensic evidence, fingerprints and other technologically produced evidence shall be utilized to develop evidence for a case that can meet the test of guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
RATIONALE: Wrongful convictions are too common because of inadequate and non-technologically driven practices. Test standards shall be undergirded by professional industry standards subscribed to industry manuals.
21--A drug test shall be required of all applicants seeking employment with law enforcement. Once an applicant has secured employment with law enforcement, random drug testing shall be administered randomly & annually. RATIONALE: Safe law enforcement procedures shall be paramount at all times.
22-(730 ILCS 5/3-6-3) (from Ch. 38, par. 1003-6-3) (Text of Section from P.A. 102-784) Sec. 3-6-3. Rules and regulations for sentence credit is hereby amended as follows: FORTH COMING
23-Inmates with life without the possibility of parole/ probation are hereby restored to the State of Illinois and federal constitutional rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness by enrolling in and completing. Illinois IDOC courses at all levels.
RATIONALE: Rehabilitation of an inmate is otherwise severely compromised.
24-The requirement for formerly incarcerated individuals with a murder sentence to register annually with the Illinois.
Department of Corrections for the first ten years of their return to full societal citizenship is hereby abolished.
Rationale: No valid reason exists for the imposition of such a fee
25-Any individual submitting an application to become a law enforcement member of any State of Illinois institution shall provide proof of United States citizenship.
RATIONALE: The sensitive nature of such positions require clearance equivalent to those held by individuals working for other government agencies wherein personnel are privy to confidential information.
26-The use of any written document so issued by any individual representing law enforcement with the intent of detaining an individual, and the written document lacks the signature of a judge or magistrate is prohibited. Such prohibition extends to and thus applies to every citizen against whom an arrest warrant was not issued within the 72 hour timeline required by the Illinois Uniform Code of Corrections. Effectuation of this statute shall be applicable to and retroactive to every individual in the custody of the Department of Corrections.
Madeline "Sandy" Sanders