Cook County launches relocation program to help protect victims, witnesses facing threats
COOK COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) -- A new Cook County program is expanding relocation assistance for victims and witnesses whose safety is at risk, providing support for housing, moving costs and other basic needs for people participating in criminal cases, including domestic violence prosecutions.
The Cook County State's Attorney's Office recently launched its Victim Witness Relocation Program with a $250,000 grant, creating access to short-term and permanent relocation assistance for eligible victims and witnesses facing threats or retaliation related to their participation in the criminal justice process.
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For survivors of domestic violence, safe housing can be one of the biggest barriers to leaving an abusive situation.
Sarah Brown, a domestic violence survivor, said her former partner violated an order of protection and broke into her home.
"My abuser actually came to my home, broke into the home and removed rooms of furniture," Brown said.
Among the belongings taken was furniture from the living room, a space where Brown said she was trying to maintain a sense of normalcy for her children during the holidays.
"I wanted to continue to create for my children, which was the experience of you know just celebrating the holidays, even though home didn't seem like home anymore," Brown said.
Officials said the new relocation program is designed to address situations where victims and witnesses face threats because of their involvement in a criminal case.
"It's really rooted in being trauma-informed and meeting a need for folks and victims and witnesses who are being threatened as a result of their participation in a case," said Kayla Johnson, chief of victim services for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.
Funded in part through a grant from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority's Violent Crime Witness Protection Program, the initiative broadens assistance that was previously available only in emergency situations and pending homicide cases, according to the state's attorney's office.
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The program now covers all violent misdemeanor and felony cases, including domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault and sexual abuse cases. Assistance may include hotel stays, food, moving expenses and rent. The office also plans to hire a victim witness relocation specialist to administer the program, connect participants with community resources and assess additional support needs.
"Housing is a basic need. So it's something you, it's like in the pillar of being trauma-informed. It really is like No. 1," Johnson said.
The need for additional housing resources remains significant.
According to The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence, Chicago went 157 days last year without a single available domestic violence shelter bed or crib, while requests for shelter reached record levels statewide.
To qualify for relocation assistance, a victim or witness in a pending case must have a documented or credible threat connected to their participation in the case, officials said. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office said it expects to provide additional funding if needs continue to grow.
State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke said the program is intended to help victims and witnesses remain safe while pursuing justice.
"One of the biggest threats victims and witnesses face when seeking justice is intimidation and fear of retaliation," Burke said in a statement. "Participating in a criminal case requires tremendous courage, and no one should have to choose between their personal safety and helping hold a violent offender accountable. This program gives us another critical tool to help victims and witnesses remain safe throughout the justice process."
For Brown, the program represents another layer of support for people navigating the aftermath of abuse.
"I had an empty court hallway in a 30-page packet. Yeah. So to see this, this is good," Brown said.
Now nine years removed from her own experience, Brown said resources ranging from support services to safe housing can make a lasting difference for survivors seeking a new beginning.
"Girl, you're gonna get through this, and this too shall pass. And you're more than a conqueror," she said.
The grant is funded for one year, with the possibility of renewal for up to two additional years.
