Victim | Frequently Asked Questions

Please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 217-492-4450 if you have questions about a pending criminal matter.

The Department of Justice has developed the Victim Notification System (VNS) to provide victims with information on case events. This information can be sent as a physical letter or as an email. To log into the VNS system, please visit: https://www.notify.usdoj.gov/pinLogin.jsp
If you need additional assistance, please contact the CDIL U.S. Attorney Victim Witness Coordinator at 217-492-4450.

If you are a victim of a crime that is being prosecuted in the Central District of Illinois, you may be eligible to apply for the Illinois Crime Victim Compensation Fund. This fund offers reimbursement for eligible expenses incurred as a result of a crime. For more information please visit: https://ag.state.il.us/victims/cvc.html

In some Federal cases, if the defendant is found guilty, a Judge will order that he/she must pay back restitution to cover any financial loss that the victim suffered as a result of the crime of which the defendant was convicted. In some circumstances, the defendant will be ordered to return any property that the defendant took during the commission of the crime.

It is important for the Court to know the impact this crime has had on its victims. Victim impact statements describe the emotional, physical, and financial impact you and others have suffered as a direct result of the crime.  Victim impact statements can be either written or oral statements. For more information on preparing a victim impact statement, please see the brochure below. For any additional information contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Coordinator at 217-492-4427