Final answer:
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) retains unconfirmed abuse reports for 3 years.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is responsible for retaining records of abuse reports. According to their policy, IDHS retains an abuse report that is not confirmed for 3 years. This allows for the possibility that further evidence may come to light within that time frame, and thus ensures a balance between protecting the rights of the accused and the safety of potentially abused individuals. This means that if an abuse report is made but not confirmed, it will be kept on record by IDHS for a period of 3 years. During this time, the report may be referred to and reviewed in case any relevant information or patterns emerge.