2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes › Chapter 725 - CRIMINAL PROCEDURE › 725 ILCS 240/ - Violent Crime Victims Assistance Act.

(725 ILCS 240/1) (from Ch. 70, par. 501)
Sec. 1. 
		Short title. 
		This Act shall be known and may be cited as the
"Violent Crime Victims Assistance Act".
(Source: P.A. 83-908.)
(725 ILCS 240/2) (from Ch. 70, par. 502)
Sec. 2. 
		Legislative findings and intent. 
		The General Assembly finds
that when crime strikes, the chief concern of criminal justice agencies
has been apprehending and dealing with the criminal, and that the victim
or witness is frequently forgotten or further victimized by the criminal
justice system.  Nevertheless, the single most important determinant of
whether a case is resolved is the information and assistance provided by
the victim or witness.
It is, therefore, the intent of the General Assembly to provide ways of
improving attitudes of victims and witnesses toward the criminal justice
system and to provide for faster and more complete victim recovery from
the effects of crime through the establishment of victim and witness assistance centers.
All services and practices of each center shall further or complement the
following goals:
(a) Assist the criminal justice agencies in giving more consideration
and personal attention to victims and witnesses of violent crime;
(b) Sensitize law enforcement officials and others who come into contact
with crime victims and witnesses;
(c) Attempt to decrease the incidence of unreported crimes;
(d) Assure that victims and witnesses are informed of the progress of
the cases in which they are involved;
(e) Encourage public use of the services made available under this Act.
This Act shall be construed to complement the provisions of the "Crime
Victims Compensation Act" in meeting their common goals, but this Act shall
be administered and funded as provided herein.
(Source: P.A. 83-908.)
(725 ILCS 240/3) (from Ch. 70, par. 503)
Sec. 3. 
		Definitions. 
		As used in this Act:
(a) "Advisory Commission" means the Violent Crimes Advisory Commission
created in Section 4 of this Act;
(b) "Fund" means the Violent Crime Victims Assistance Fund created in
Section 10 of this Act;
(c) "Agency" or "agencies" means any federal, State, local or private
entity which provides, operates or coordinates victim and witness assistance
programs.
(Source: P.A. 83-908.)
(725 ILCS 240/4) (from Ch. 70, par. 504)
Sec. 4. 
		Advisory Commission created. 
		There is created a Violent Crimes
Advisory Commission, hereinafter called the Advisory Commission, consisting
of
18 members: the Attorney General, or his or her designee who shall
serve
as Chairperson; the Illinois Secretary of State or his or her designee; the
Chief Justice of the Court of Claims or his or her designee; the Director of
Children and Family Services; 2 members
of the House of Representatives, 1 to be appointed
by the Speaker of the House and 1 to be appointed by the Minority Leader
of the House; 2 members of the Senate, 1 to be appointed by the President
of the Senate and 1 to be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;
and the following to be appointed by the Attorney General: 1 police officer;
1 State's Attorney from a county in Illinois; 1 health services professional
possessing experience and expertise in dealing with the victims of violent
crime;
one person who is employed as an administrator at a public or private
institution of
higher education; one person who is enrolled as a student at a public
or private institution of higher education;
and 5 members of the public, one of whom shall be a
senior citizen age 60 or over,  possessing experience and expertise in
dealing with victims of violent crime,
including experience with victims
of domestic and sexual violence.  The members of the Advisory Commission
shall be appointed biennially for terms expiring on July 1 of each succeeding
odd-numbered year and shall serve until their respective successors are
appointed or until termination of their legislative service, whichever first
occurs.  The members of the Commission shall receive no compensation for
their services but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in
the performance of their duties.  Vacancies occurring because
of death or resignation shall be filled by the appointing authority for
the group in which the vacancy occurs.
Nine members of the Advisory Commission shall constitute a
quorum for the
transaction of business, and the concurrence of at least 9 members
shall
be necessary to render a determination, decision or recommendation by the
Advisory Committee.  In addition to the Attorney General, who shall serve
as Chairperson, the Advisory Commission may select such other officers as
it deems necessary.
(Source: P.A. 92-286, eff. 1-1-02.)
(725 ILCS 240/5) (from Ch. 70, par. 505)
Sec. 5. 
		Advisory Commission - General responsibilities.
(a) The Advisory
Commission shall have the following responsibilities:
(1) To study the operation of all Illinois laws, practices, agencies and
organizations which affect victims of crime including but not limited to the
Crime Victims Compensation Act;
(2) To promote and conduct studies, research, analysis and investigation
of matters affecting the interests of crime victims;
(3) To recommend legislation to develop and improve policies which promote
the recognition of the legitimate rights, needs and interests of crime victims;
(4) To serve as a clearinghouse for public information relating to crime
victims' problems and programs;
(5) To coordinate, monitor and evaluate the activities of programs operating
under this Act;
(6) To make any necessary outreach efforts to encourage the development
and maintenance of services throughout the State, with special attention
to the regions and neighborhoods with the greatest need for victim assistance services;
(7) To perform other activities, in cooperation with the Attorney General,
which the Advisory Commission considers useful to the furtherance of the
stated legislative intent;
(8) To make an annual report to the General Assembly.
(b) The Advisory Committee may also perform any of the functions enumerated
in subparagraph (a) of this section relative to witnesses to crime.
(Source: P.A. 92-286, eff. 1-1-02.)
(725 ILCS 240/6) (from Ch. 70, par. 506)
Sec. 6. 
		Attorney General - Organization of Programs. 
		During the period
between January 1, 1984 and June 30, 1984, the Attorney General, in cooperation
with the Advisory Commission, shall establish rules and regulations for
the performance of his or her activities under this Act, including procedures
for the designation and funding of victims' assistance centers; thereafter,
he or she shall:
(a) Adopt and publicize the concept of victim and witness assistance centers,
including guidelines for applications, selection and operation of centers;
(b) Receive and, when appropriate, solicit applications from agencies for
funding of centers;
(c) Designate agencies and award grants to operate centers;
(d) Accept any grant, including federal grants, or gift to promote the
purposes of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 83-908.)
(725 ILCS 240/7) (from Ch. 70, par. 507)
Sec. 7. 
		Administration of Fund. 
		The Attorney General shall administer
the disbursement of monies collected by the Fund in accordance with the
following procedures.
(a) Any public or private nonprofit agency may apply to the Attorney General
for selection and funding as a victim and witness assistance center pursuant
to this Act.
(b) The Attorney General shall consider the following factors together
with any other circumstances he or she deems appropriate in selecting
applicants to receive funds and to be designated as victim and witness
assistance centers:
(1) Stated goals of applicants;
(2) Commitment and ability to provide the services     described in Section 8 of this Act;
(3) Number of people to be served and the needs of     the community;
(4) Evidence of community support;
(5) Organizational structure of the agency;
(6) Maximization of volunteers.
(c) After evaluation of all applicants, the Attorney General shall select
a number of applicants which the Attorney General deems qualified under
this Act for designation to receive funding pursuant to this Act for the
establishment and operation of the centers.  Funding contracts shall be
entered into by the Attorney General with each designated applicant on an
annual basis.   The Attorney General may impose matching
funds requirements on grant recipients. The Attorney General may evaluate
each recipient prior to each fund dispersal and cancel the
remaining term of any contract in which the recipient has failed to meet
the contract requirements or for any good cause.
(Source: P.A. 90-139, eff. 1-1-98.)
(725 ILCS 240/8) (from Ch. 70, par. 508)
Sec. 8. Centers - Services provided.
(a) Each center shall provide
one or more of the following services:
(1) Coordinate volunteers to work with criminal     justice agencies to provide direct victim services or to establish community support;
(2) Provide assistance to victims of violent crime     and their families in obtaining assistance through other official or community resources;
(3) Provide elderly victims of crime with services     appropriate to their special needs;
(4) Provide transportation and/or household     assistance to those victims participating in the criminal justice process;
(5) Provide victims of domestic and sexual violence     and sexual harassment with services appropriate to their special needs;
(6) Provide courthouse reception and guidance,     including explanation of unfamiliar procedures and bilingual information;
(7) Provide in-person or telephone hot-line     assistance to victims;
(8) Provide special counseling facilities and     rehabilitation services to victims;
(9) Provide other services as the Commission shall     deem appropriate to further the purposes of this Act;
(10) Provide public education on crime and crime     victims;
(11) Provide training and sensitization for persons     who work with victims of crime;
(12) Provide special counseling facilities and     rehabilitation services for child victims of sex offenses;
(13) When applicable, centers shall enter into     written networking agreements to provide for the special needs of child victims of violent crimes;
(14) Provide assistance in exercising rights provided     in the Roadside Memorial Act for the families of victims of fatal injury crashes on roadways.
(b) Such centers may provide one or more of the services enumerated in
subparagraph (a) of this section for witnesses of crime.
(Source: P.A. 97-108, eff. 7-14-11.)
(725 ILCS 240/9) (from Ch. 70, par. 509)
Sec. 9. 
		Centers - Accountability to Attorney General. 
		Each center
shall provide the Attorney General periodic reports on the activities of
the center.  Submission of any such reports as the Attorney General shall
require is a prerequisite to renewal of any grant awarded under this Act.
(Source: P.A. 83-908.)
(725 ILCS 240/10) (from Ch. 70, par. 510)
Sec. 10. Violent Crime Victims Assistance Fund.
(a) The "Violent Crime Victims Assistance Fund" is created as a special
fund in the State Treasury to provide monies for the grants to be awarded
under this Act.
(b) (Blank).
(c)
(Blank).
(d) Monies forfeited, and proceeds from the sale of property forfeited
and seized, under the forfeiture provisions set forth in Part 500 of Article 124B of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 shall be accepted for the Violent Crime Victims
Assistance Fund.
(e) Investment income which is attributable to the investment of monies
in the Violent Crime Victims Assistance Fund shall be credited to that fund
for uses specified in this Act.  The Treasurer shall provide the Attorney
General a monthly status report on the amount of money in the Fund.
(f) Monies from the fund may be granted on and after July 1, 1984.
(g) (Blank).
(Source: P.A. 100-987, eff. 7-1-19.)
(725 ILCS 240/11) (from Ch. 70, par. 511)
Sec. 11. 
		Severability. 
		The invalidity of any provision of this Act
shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 83-908.)