In a decisive move, an Illinois judge has ruled that James G. James, Jr., a registered sex offender, fits the definition of a Sexually Violent Person (SVP) and ordered his commitment to state custody, Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced. According to an official statement, this determination was made by Henry County Circuit Court Judge Colby G. Hathaway, landing James in the Illinois Department of Human Services' (IDHS) Treatment and Detention Facility.
Attorney General Raoul, during the announcement, emphasized public safety, stating "The court has found this defendant's actions continue to present a threat to the community," and that his office is steadfast in protecting children and families from those with predatory histories, James, 35, has a dark past that includes the 2009 conviction for the aggravated criminal sexual abuse of two minors, ages two and three after his release he landed back in prison for being too close to Kewanee High School and failing to fulfill his sex offender registration obligations then taking a guilty plea for indecent solicitation of a minor after engaging an undercover officer online.
Under the Sexually Violent Person Commitment Act, individuals like James, with sexually violent offenses and mental disorders that predispose them to future predatory acts, may be committed to state care; Raoul's office is responsible for such legal filings. In order to place an offender in IDHS custody, the state must prove a likelihood of recurrent sexual violence if the person were set free.
Assistant Attorneys General David Kalicki and Kellie Van Voorhis were at the legal helm for the Attorney General's Sexually Violent Persons Bureau, ensuring the case against James was effectively managed, the commitment is not indefinite, with IDHS reevaluating committed individuals regularly to assess if SVP criteria still apply, allowing for possible adjustments to the custody status based on their evaluations.
