SR0652 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0652 LRB096 21282 GRL 37216 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Ryan Harris was 11 years old when she went for a bike ride in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago; she had just finished her household chores; and

WHEREAS, Ryan was taken to a nearby public lot, where she was brutally beaten and assaulted by a known sexual predator on July 28, 1998; her lifeless body was found after a community search; her killer was eventually convicted and received a life sentence; and

WHEREAS, To raise awareness for children's safety, Ryan's mother, Sabrina Harris, holds an annual picnic for children in that park, which has since been cleaned up and named for her daughter; and

WHEREAS, Homicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among 10-24 year olds in Illinois; violence is the leading cause of non-fatal injury among youth; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has the highest youth violence and homicide rate in the Midwest and the 4th highest in the United States; it is of crucial importance to raise awareness of this issue; and

WHEREAS, The physical, mental, and emotional effects of physical assault on children and the members of the community in which they live can be incredibly damaging; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate July 26 - August 1, 2010 as "Ryan Harris: Hope for Children Week" in the State of Illinois to raise awareness of the need for youth violence prevention; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Sabrina Harris as a symbol of our support and respect for her.