Illinois Probation and Court Services Association, Inc.

ANNUAL PLAN FOR 2006

Name of Committee:  Victims’ Concerns Committee

Chairperson(s) / County:  Gary M. Balgemann, DuPage County

                                          Ron Elias, McHenry County

Total Committee Members:  19 active, 8 associate

Our goals continue to be to promote victim sensitivity and attentiveness among Probation and Court Services staff, to be a local resource to departments in the process of developing restorative victim-related programs, and to develop and organize support among Court Services professionals for improving victim services and enhancing victims’ rights and roles in creating justice in Illinois.

We will continue to meet quarterly between and at conferences.  We will continue to provide, arrange, or recommend victim-responsive training to the Planning Committee as requested.  We will provide a table at conferences to allow departments to share program resources.  Members will network with others in their regions to identify concerns, will support each other and will share ideas to help solve victim-related problems identified in our counties.  We hope to be more active in working with John McCabe, the Legislative Committee, and/or others to develop recommendations for legislation to improve the rights and roles of all crime victims in the justice system. 

Projected Budget:     $0  

Reasons for Request:        Reportedly limited IPCSA resources, our ability to find materials at no cost to the Association, and the ability of the conference Planning Committee to provide a table cover and equipment used for videos.  (We don’t eat at our meetings and go out to lunch together at our own expense.)

Expenditures approved and completed during the past year: None