Did you know that if you are a resident of Illinois and you or your family were the victim(s) of a violent crime, you may be eligible for reimbursement of related expenses?
Before going out on my own, I worked for the Crime Victims Compensation Program which is managed by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. I helped victims of eligible crimes receive reimbursement for unexpected costs that resulted from the crime. Costs such as ambulance, counseling, dental and medical bills, and relocating. I even helped draft several laws that extended protections for victims in Illinois. See Overdose; Limited Immunity From Prosecution 720 ILCS 570/414, Underage Alcohol Consumption; Limited Immunity From Prosecution 235 ILCS 5/6-20. It was very tough seeing the pain these families were going through all because of a senseless crime. I found that the criminal system’s main focus is on the alleged offender, and the victims are left holding the bag (full of debt, heartache, and loneliness). Of course there are many amazing non-for-profit organizations that are doing their best to help victims, but they are underfunded and frankly not well known by the community.
That is why I wanted to share this program with you. I am not being paid or sponsored by the program. I just genuinely want to spread the word. If you want to apply for the program or would like to read more about it check out their website at https://ag.state.il.us/victims/cvonlineapplication.html or call their hotline at 1-800-228-3368.
Actually, every state has a program that provides compensation for victims. Check out https://nacvcb.org/state-information/ for more information!
Thanks for checking this out!
-Alexis Aranda Zelasko, Immigration Attorney
