Can our family get help paying costs after a violent crime in Illinois or Wisconsin?

What can these programs pay for?

These programs pay you back for costs that insurance and other programs do not cover. A death by suicide or overdose on its own usually does not qualify, because the programs cover certain violent crimes.

Illinois can pay up to $45,000, or $27,000 for crimes before Aug 7, 2022. It can help with:

• Funeral and burial costs (up to $10,000)
• Counseling
• Crime scene cleanup
• Lost wages
• Moving to a safer home

Illinois also covers people hurt or killed when a police officer's use of force caused the harm.

Wisconsin can pay up to $40,000, for up to 4 years of costs. That includes up to $5,000 for a funeral. It can also help with counseling, lost wages, and crime scene cleanup.

Who in the family can apply?

In Illinois, the person who was hurt can apply. If someone died, a spouse, parent, or child can apply. So can anyone who lived in the home in a similar role.

Brothers, sisters, and grandparents can ask for help with counseling. They can also ask for time off work to care for the person who was hurt, and moving costs if the crime happened in their home. Anyone who lived in the home can ask for these same things.

In Wisconsin, the person who was hurt can apply. After a homicide, family members and people who lived in the same home may qualify.

What if our own loved one caused the harm?

Many families think they cannot apply because the person who caused the harm is family. That is often not true.

• Illinois: The person who caused the harm cannot be paid. But their family members can still get help, unless the money would give that person a large benefit. A claim cannot be turned down just because you are related or live together (740 ILCS 45/10.1(d-2)).
• Wisconsin: No award can be made if it would unfairly benefit the person who caused the harm (Wis. Stat. 949.08(3)). Ask the program how this fits your family before you decide not to apply.

How do we apply?

1. Report the crime to the police, if it has not been reported.
2. Write down every cost, and keep your receipts.
3. Call the program and say you want to apply.
4. Fill out the application.
5. Answer every letter or call from the program quickly.

Illinois: Call the Crime Victims Assistance Line at 1-800-228-3368. You can apply online on the Illinois Attorney General's crime victim compensation page.

You usually have up to 5 years after the crime to apply. Report the crime to the police quickly. If you need help with funeral costs right away, ask about an emergency award.

Wisconsin: Call the Wisconsin Crime Victim Compensation Program at 1-800-446-6564, or visit the Wisconsin Department of Justice compensation page.

Apply within 1 year. The crime usually must be reported to the police within 5 days. Both time limits can be waived in the interest of justice. The first review can take 90 to 120 days.

If your loved one died, our guide when a loved one dies by suicide or overdose may help. If your loved one hurt someone, see what to do when your loved one hurts someone in the family.