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Victim Services
The Victims Services Unit provides information, assistance and support to victims of crime whose victimizers are in the custody or control of IDOC, and to victimized employees. These services are administered with respect, compassion and confidentiality.
The Victim Services Unit enhances victim's rights in Illinois through public forums, legislation, and joint efforts with other victim services agencies, departments, and organizations.
The Victim Services Unit can be reached at (217) 558-2200 ext. 4006 or toll-free at (877) 776-0755, between 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. [CST] Monday through Friday.
For victim notification issues during non-business hours call (866) 277-7477. Please note, if you call during non-business hours with victim notification issues, you will need to follow up with the Victim Services Office during business hours to permanently resolve any issues.
Effective January 1, 2024, House Bill 3026 required the Illinois Department of Corrections to recalculate the mandatory supervised release dates of qualifying individuals in custody. Please note that the award of additional sentencing credit for qualified individuals may be significant and may advance their release dates. To learn how you can receive notification of the release of an individual, please review the Types of Victim Notification section below. Click here to learn more about individuals who are eligible to receive sentence credit under HB3026 and the credit they may receive.
IDOC has a work release program, referred to as an Adult Transition Center (ATC), for those individuals who have met the criteria for consideration for placement in a community correctional center There are strict requirements for an individual in custody to be eligible to participate in this program. The eligibility criteria are available here.
Individuals in the work release program remain under the custody of IDOC. In addition to establishing and maintaining gainful employment, individuals are eligible for community correctional center leaves and independent release time. Information on the Level System utilized to determine the amount of leave and independent release time granted and the privileges associated with each level is available here.
Types of Victim Notification
Victims and victim advocates can use the following resources to obtain information about an individual in IDOC custody: complete a search through the Individual in Custody Search, call the Illinois Automated Victim Notification (AVN) system at (866) 566-8439, or call the Victim Services Unit.
There are two types of notifications for victims; the Illinois AVN Program and victim registration through the Illinois Prisoner Review Board. The Victim Services Unit recommends registration with both.
Automated Victim Notification Program (AVN)
The Illinois AVN is a statewide service designed to empower and protect crime victims while also assisting law enforcement and victim service providers. Illinois AVN is a toll-free, bi-lingual telephone service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide information about an individual’s custody, case status, and for those who register, automatic notification of any change in status. To register for notification, a victim will need the individual in custody's name, IDOC ID number, and date of birth.
Victim Registration with the Illinois Prisoner Review Board (PRB)
The second type of victim notification is through the Illinois PRB, which determines the conditions of an individual's parole or mandatory supervised release. The PRB will send a notification letter to the victim prior to an individual’s release from IDOC. Registration with the PRB is important and enables the board to flag those who register as the victims of an individual. This entitles victims to notification prior to hearings. If a victim would like to request special parole conditions, he or she may write to the Board.
To register with the board, complete the Know Your Rights as a Victim or Witness Form / Know Your Rights as a Victim or Witness Form(Spanish), and mail the completed form to Prisoner Review Board Chairman.
Stopping Mail and Phone Contact from an Individual in Custody
To stop contact from an individual in the custody of an IDOC correctional center, please complete the Mail Stop and Phone Restriction Request form / Mail Stop and Phone Restriction Request form (Spanish) and mail it to the facility the individual is housed in.
Additional Resources to Support Crime Victims