What it is
Illinois operates a Crime Victim Compensation Program, administered through the Office of the
Attorney General and the Court of Claims. It is intended to help with specific costs arising from a
violent crime, medical and counselling expenses, and certain losses.
How it differs from a civil claim
The programme reimburses defined categories of cost, up to a limit, from public funds. A civil
claim seeks compensation for the harm itself from the institution that failed to prevent it. They
answer different questions, they involve different parties, and the amounts are not comparable.
They are also not mutually exclusive, although what you receive from one can affect the other.
That interaction is worth asking about rather than assuming.
What it usually requires
Programmes of this kind generally have their own conditions, including reporting requirements
and time limits, which are different from the rules governing a civil claim. If you never reported
the abuse, the programme may not be available to you even where a civil claim is.
Why it is on this site
Because counselling costs money now, and a civil claim takes time. If the programme can help
with something in the meantime, you should know it exists.
This page describes Illinois law in general terms. It is not legal advice and it cannot tell you whether your own claim is in time, that depends on facts this page does not know. A conversation costs nothing and will give you a real answer.