SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. is leading a measure to ensure that teenagers who are wrongly accused of crimes will be able to obtain innocence.

“Adjudication of delinquency – especially at a young age – can ruin a person’s life,” said Sims (D-Chicago). “Justice isn’t served until a person’s innocence is reconciled to not just them, but the public.”

Under Senate Bill 1844, if a juvenile is falsely adjudicated for a crime they did not commit, they will have the power to petition the court for a certificate of innocence within two years of the charges being dismissed.

“Adjudication of delinquency carries collateral consequences that can hinder the rehabilitative goal of the juvenile system,” said Sims. “We must do everything we can to ensure young people receive the justice they deserve.”

Senate Bill 1844 passed the Special Committee on Criminal Law and Public Safety. It now heads to the full Senate for further consideration.