The Criminal Code of 1961 has been amended to add an aggravating factor that can result in natural life imprisonment for a criminal offender. (720 ILCS 5/9-1)

Illinois lawmakers amended the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 to allow electronic home detention as an appropriate form of sentencing for wards of the court. 705 ILCS 405/5-7A-101.

Illinois lawmakers in recent months stiffened penalties for activities associated with animal and dog fighting. 

On October 26, 2007, the Illinois Appellate Court, Third District, affirmed the judgment of the Circuit Court of Will County sentencing the defendant to 22 years for pleading guilty to two counts of first degree murder.

On April 6, 2006, the Illinois Appellate Court, Second District, affirmed in part and vacated in part the decision of the Circuit Court of DuPage County to order defendant Danenberger to pay restitution to the Naperville Police Department (Department) as a condition of her probation for filing a false police report. 

On December 20, 2005, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the decision of the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, and vacated the sentence imposed by the Circuit Court of Cook County on the defendant.

Effective on January 1, 2005, in addition to any other sentencing alternatives for a second or subsequent conviction for domestic battery, an individual will be automatically sentenced to a minimum of 72 consecutive hours in prison.

In an effort to advance both the rehabilitation of criminal offenders and public protection, the Illinois Unified Code of Corrections (IUCC) has been amended to assert that a term of imprisonment in combination.

On August 11, 2004, the Illinois Appellate Court, Fourth District, reversed the Circuit Court of Champaign County's conviction and sentence and remanded the case for further proceedings.

On December 30, 2003, the Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District, vacated the order of the trial court ordering the defendant to pay restitution based on a criminal damage to property charge that was dismissed as a part of her plea agreement on other charges.

On October 17, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed in part, affirmed in part, and remanded the appellate court's decision to overturn the defendant's conviction of felony murder because it was improperly predicated upon aggravated battery.

On September 18, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the portion of the appellate court's decision that vacated the defendant's extended-term sentence. 

On May 20, 2003, the Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, affirmed the order of the Circuit Court of Cook County convicting the defendant of theft by deception and sentencing him in absentia.

On June 19, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court held that the provisions under P. A. 91-0404, §5, effective January 1, 2000.

On February 6, 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court held that the sentencing court's imposition of an enhanced sentence for involuntary manslaughter based on a judicial finding was harmless error.

Effective July 19, 2002, amendments to the Illinois Controlled Substances Act provide that the illegal manufacture.

On July 25, 2002, Gov. George H. Ryan signed into law House Bill 4926, which amends the Criminal Code of 1961 to do two separate things.

On November 21, 2002, the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed the trial court and concluded that, as applied to this juvenile defendant, the multiple-murder sentencing statute violated the proportionate penalties clause in article I, §11 of the Illinois Constitution.

On July 10, 2002, the Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District, modified the dispositional order entered by the Circuit Court of Winnebago County to reflect that the minor respondent was committed to the Department of Corrections (DOC) for an indeterminate period not to exceed five years.

On June 6, 2002, the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the defendant's extended-term sentence imposed by the trial court pursuant to section 5-8-2(a)(1) of the Unified Code of Corrections, 730 ILCS 5/5-8-2(a)(1) (1994).

On April 18, 2002, the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the appellate court and affirmed the defendant's extended-term sentence.

In January, Gov. Ryan signed into law Senate Bill 175, which amended the Criminal Code of 1961 by making a misdemeanor offense of battery a felony offense of aggravated battery when the battery occurs in a building or other structure used to provide shelter or other services to domestic violence victims or the victims' dependent children.