timeboxROCKFORD – Most people probably don't know that Illinois reimburses victims of violent crimes for medical bills, lost wages and other out-of-pocket expenses.

Learn about the many services available to crime victims and those who work with crime victims at a free seminar sponsored by State Senator Steve Stadelman.

Stadelman's guest speaker is Cynthia M. Hora, chief of the Crime Victim Services Division for the Illinois Attorney General's office. She will explain various state programs and answer questions at the seminar, which is free and open to the public.

"It is important that offenders receive the harshest punishment under the law," Stadelman said, "but it is also important that victims and their families receive the support they need to rebuild their lives and regain peace of mind."

Among the programs that Chief Hora will review are:

  • Crime Victim Compensation Program provides direct financial assistance to innocent victims of violent crime to reimburse out-of-pocket expenses related to the crime.
  • Automated Victim Notification System allows crime victims throughout Illinois to obtain timely and reliable information about criminal cases and the custody status of offenders 24 hours a day via telephone, Web or e-mail.
  • Violent Crime Victim Assistance Program provides grants to public and privately funded nonprofit victim and witness assistance efforts throughout the state.
  • Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program trains registered nurses and other professionals who treat and assist sexual assault patients to provide a higher level of care and reduce re-traumatization of victims.
  • Illinois Victim Assistance Academy offers a 40-hour intensive course of study for crime victim service providers (including law enforcement) and a two-day advanced academy for experienced providers. IVAA is designed to improve the quality and consistency of victim services in Illinois.