Victim/Witness Assistance Program - Village of Roundlake IL

We take great pride in keeping the Village of Round Lake safe and secure for all persons, but unfortunately bad things sometimes happen to good people. Becoming an innocent victim of, or witness to, a crime can be an intimidating and frightening experience. If you have been a crime victim or witness, we hope the response you have received so far from the Round Lake Police Department has been helpful.

The Round Lake Police Department maintains a Victim/Witness Assistance Program, which is designed to provide guidance and assistance to crime victims and witnesses as they navigate through the criminal justice system. As a crime victim or witness, one is entitled to the following rights:

Victim Bill of Rights

The right to be treated with fairness and respect for their dignity and privacy throughout the criminal justice process.
The right to notification of court proceedings.
The right to communicate with the prosecution.
The right to make a statement to the court at sentencing.
The right to information about the conviction, sentence, imprisonment and release of the accused.
The right to the timely disposition of the case following the arrest of the accused.
The right to be reasonably protected from the accused through the criminal justice process.
The right to be present at the trial and all other court proceedings on the same basis as the accused, unless the victim is to testify and the court determines that the victim’s testimony would be materially affected if the victim hears other testimony at the trial.
The right to be present at all court proceedings, including proceedings under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, subject to the rules of evidence, a victim-witness specialist, an advocate or other support person of the victim’s choice.
The right to restitution. 725 Ill. Comp. Stat. 120/4(a) (2008).

Witness Bill of Rights

To be notified by the Office of the State’s Attorney of all court proceedings at which the witness’ presence is required in a reasonable amount of time prior to the proceeding, and to be notified of the cancellation of any scheduled court proceeding in sufficient time to prevent an unnecessary appearance in court, where possible;
To be provided with appropriate employer intercession services by the Office of the State’s Attorney or the victim advocate personnel to ensure that employers of witnesses will cooperate with the criminal justice system in order to minimize an employee’s loss of pay and other benefits resulting from court appearances’;
To be provided, whenever possible, a secure waiting area during court proceedings that does not require witnesses to be in close proximity to defendants and their families and friends; and
To be provided with notice by the Office of the State’s Attorney, where necessary, of the right to have a translator present whenever the witness’ presence is required. 725 Ill. Comp. Stat.120/4(a) (2008).

If you are a crime victim or witness, a Round Lake Police Officer will provide you with information, resources and referrals to professionals within or outside of the Round Lake Police Department who are trained to assist you with your specific needs.

For more information about how we can help you, contact the Round Lake Police Department at (847) 546-8112. Or, contact us by e-mail at [email protected]. You may also write to the Chief of Police at Round Lake Police Department, 741 W. Town Line Road, Round Lake, Illinois 60073.