HR0147 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0147 LRB103 31504 LAW 59422 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, In 1982, the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime envisioned a national commitment to a more equitable and supportive response to victims; and

WHEREAS, The first Crime Victims Week, later renamed National Crime Victims' Rights Week, was started to celebrate the victims' rights movement; and

WHEREAS, Crime and violence can leave harm on any person and community, regardless of age, national origin, race, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, immigration, or economic status; and

WHEREAS, A new movement of diverse survivors of crime from communities most harmed and least helped has joined together in Illinois and throughout the country to create healing communities and shape public policy; and

WHEREAS, For too long the voices and experiences of these diverse survivors have been ignored, leading to policies and increased justice system spending that fails to meet the needs of crime victims or stop the cycle of crime; and

WHEREAS, Most victims do not get the kind of help needed to heal; and

WHEREAS, Only 8% of all victims of violence receive direct assistance from a victim service agency, and this drops to 4% when the crime is unreported, which is the case for more than half of all violent crimes; and

WHEREAS, Crime survivors know best about the existing gaps to recovery and how to bridge them and understand what their communities need to be healthy and safe; and

WHEREAS, Crime survivors want a safety and justice system that works and prioritizes prevention, rehabilitation, and trauma recovery; and

WHEREAS, With the unwavering support of their communities, survivors are empowered to face their grief, loss, fear, anger, and hope, turning their healing into action; and

WHEREAS, Providing services that help victims and their communities recover stops the cycle of harm and supports thriving communities; and

WHEREAS, It is essential for crime survivors to have input and influence in discussions of public safety and criminal justice policy; and

WHEREAS, National Crime Victims' Rights Week, marked this year from April 23 to April 29, 2023, provides an opportunity to recommit to ensuring that all victims of crime, especially those who are from communities most impacted by crime, are policy stakeholders and are provided with what they need to recover; and

WHEREAS, Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice, a flagship project of Alliance for Safety and Justice, is dedicated to supporting the healing of survivors and the leadership they can provide to build safer and healthier communities; and

WHEREAS, Survivors Speak, a yearly gathering during National Crime Victims' Rights Week, elevates the voices of diverse crime survivors to ensure their experiences shape public safety and justice policies; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend the work being done by Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice to prevent people from becoming victims and to assist all survivors in the recovery from crime and trauma; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice.