Victims Rights

In November 1992, Illinois voters approved the Crime Victim's Rights amendment to the Illinois Constitution, which guarantees certain basic rights to victims of crime.

Under Section 8.1 of Article I (Bill of Rights) in the Illinois Constitution, crime victims, as defined by law*, shall have the following rights:

The right to be treated with fairness and respect for their dignity and privacy throughout the criminal justice process.
The right to notification of court proceedings.
The right to communicate with the prosecution.
The right to make a statement to the court at sentencing.
The right to information about the conviction, sentence, imprisonment and release of the accused.
The right to the timely disposition of the case following the arrest of the accused.
The right to be reasonably protected from the accused throughout the criminal justice process.
The right to be present at the trial and all other court proceedings on the same basis as the accused, unless the victim is to testify and the court determines that the victim(s) testimony would be materially affected if the victim hears other testimony at the trial.
The right to have present at all court proceedings, subject to the rules of the evidence, an advocate or other support person of the victim's choice.
The right to restitution.

*Under state law, you are the victim covered by the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act if you (or a member of your immediate family) are the victim of a violent crime involving death, injury, force, threat of force, sexual conduct, domestic violence, stalking, or certain traffic crimes resulting from death or serious injury.