Full Text of HJR0024 96th General Assembly
HJ0024 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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HJ0024 |
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LRB096 03164 RLC 13181 r |
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| HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fund was | 3 |
| authorized by Congress in 1984 pursuant to the Victims of Crime | 4 |
| Act to assist with the operation of federal, state, and local | 5 |
| crime victim programs; the Fund is funded primarily by the | 6 |
| fines, assessments, and fees imposed on federal offenders and | 7 |
| not from taxpayers' dollars; and
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| WHEREAS, The VOCA Fund, in turn, is distributed through | 9 |
| formula grants to all 50 states for (1) victim assistance | 10 |
| programs, (2) victim compensation programs, and (3) training | 11 |
| and technical assistance to victim service providers; and
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| WHEREAS, Approximately 3.8 million victims of all types of | 13 |
| crime receive services from 4,400 service agencies per year | 14 |
| through the victim assistance programs and hundreds of | 15 |
| thousands of victims receive help through the victim | 16 |
| compensation programs, all as a result of the VOCA Fund's | 17 |
| existence; the Fund provides invaluable assistance with | 18 |
| services through a number of public and non-profit entities | 19 |
| including the provision of crisis intervention, emergency | 20 |
| shelter, transportation, counseling, and criminal justice | 21 |
| advocacy, the payment of medical costs, funeral and burial | 22 |
| expenses, lost wages, and mental health related costs; and
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LRB096 03164 RLC 13181 r |
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| WHEREAS, State and local prosecutors rely heavily upon the | 2 |
| VOCA Fund for the development and implementation of victim | 3 |
| services programs which, in part, notify victims of court | 4 |
| proceedings, transport victims to court, assist victims with | 5 |
| the completion of victim impact statements, provide | 6 |
| notification of offenders' release dates, assist victims in | 7 |
| recovering restitution, and work closely with victims of gang | 8 |
| violence, domestic abuse, and child and elder abuse to provide | 9 |
| a support system for those who must deal not only with | 10 |
| intimidation from offenders or third parties but often with | 11 |
| their own special needs; and
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| WHEREAS, It is critical that federal assistance with state | 13 |
| and local victim assistance and compensation programs remain | 14 |
| available due to the recent budget cuts at the state and local | 15 |
| levels; and
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| WHEREAS, The intent of Congress, expressed during the | 17 |
| authorization and appropriation of the VOCA Fund, was that a | 18 |
| stable source of funding remain available for the purpose of | 19 |
| assisting states with the provision of victims' services; and
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| WHEREAS, The impact of the rescission would be devastating | 21 |
| to victims of crime; negatively impact the ability of state and | 22 |
| local prosecutors to carry out their duties as mandated; and | 23 |
| impair the functioning of the criminal justice system; |
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| therefore, be it | 2 |
| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 3 |
| NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE | 4 |
| SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the Congressional | 5 |
| members of the State of Illinois and the entire United States | 6 |
| Congress to continue funding victim assistance and | 7 |
| compensation programs and continue funding programs for | 8 |
| training and technical assistance to victim service providers | 9 |
| through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fund which we find to | 10 |
| be a very worthwhile cause; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this Resolution be | 12 |
| forwarded to the Illinois Congressional delegation and the | 13 |
| Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and the | 14 |
| Majority Leader of the United States Senate.
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