- Published: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 01:44 PM
Peoria – A measure giving crime survivors a new voice in public safety policy making spearheaded by State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) was recently signed into law.
“I fundamentally believe that public safety must belong to the people,” Peters said. “This law will center crime survivors and put them at the center of the conversation without fear of repercussion.”
The new law will invest in community-centered public safety by creating a Crime Reduction Task Force to develop and propose ways to reduce crime across the state. The Crime Reduction Task Force will be made up of a bipartisan group of senators and representatives, alongside law enforcement, advocates, legal and criminal justice professionals and survivors of crime.
Under this new law, formerly known as HB 4736, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority will establish a grant program open to organizations and units of local government to assist in the creation of anonymous tip hotlines or other systems to crime victims and witnesses. Additionally, this measure makes improvements to the state’s existing witness protection, which requires the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority to create a program to assist victims and witnesses who are actively aiding in the prosecution of perpetrators of certain crimes. The measure would also establish a co-responder pilot program.