§ 2605-420

(was 20 ILCS 2605/55a in part) Sec. 2605-420. Assisting victims and witnesses of gang crime. To assist victims and witnesses in gang crime prosecutions through the administration of funds appropriated from the Gang Violence Victims and Witnesses Fund to the Illinois State Police. Those funds shall be appropriated to the Illinois State Police and shall only be used to assist victims and witnesses in gang crime prosecutions. The assistance may include any of the following: (1) Temporary living costs. (2) Moving expenses. (3) Closing costs on the sale of a private residence. (4) First month's rent. (5) Security deposits. (6) Apartment location assistance. (7) Other expenses that the Illinois State Police considers appropriate. (8) Compensation for any loss of or injury to real or personal property resulting from a gang crime to a maximum of $5,000, subject to the following provisions: (A) In the case of loss of property, the amount of compensation shall be measured by the replacement cost of similar or like property that has been incurred by and that is substantiated by the property owner. (B) In the case of injury to property, the amount of compensation shall be measured by the cost of repair incurred and that can be substantiated by the property owner. (C) Compensation under this provision is a secondary source of compensation and shall be reduced by any amount the property owner receives from any other source as compensation for the loss or injury, including, but not limited to, personal insurance coverage. (D) No compensation may be awarded if the property owner was an offender or an accomplice of the offender or if the award would unjustly benefit the offender or offenders or an accomplice of the offender or offenders. No victim or witness may receive assistance under this Section if he or she is not a part of or fails to fully cooperate in the prosecution of gang crime members by law enforcement authorities. The Illinois State Police shall promulgate any rules necessary for the implementation of this amendatory Act of 1985.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 102-538, eff. 8-20-21.)