(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.)
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Last modified: February 18, 2015