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Amanda L. Vasquez manages ICJIA’s Center for Victim Studies. She received her master’s degree in criminology, law, and justice, and a bachelor’s degree in applied psychology and criminal justice from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Amanda has over 15 years of research experience and has conducted research on...

The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority was awarded a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime for the Illinois Helping Everyone Access Linked Systems (Illinois HEALS) initiative. The six-year initiative seeks to improve the recognition, connection, and service engagement of children, youth, and families impacted by violence in Illinois....

The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority was awarded a Linking Systems of Care for Children and Youth Demonstration grant from the Office for Victims of Crime. This six-year initiative seeks to improve the identification, connection, and service engagement of children, youth, and families impacted by violence in Illinois. Informed by...

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) individuals are at increased risk for experiencing violence and the negative impacts associated with violence, including stress, PTSD symptoms and injury. LGBTQ+ victims are an underserved victim population in Illinois despite these increased risks. Individuals from underserved victim groups, such as people of...

Researchers conducted a statewide study to better understand crime victim needs, identify service gaps, and measure the capacity of Illinois victim service providers. This report focuses on how victim service providers from across Illinois discussed their service delivery and capacity to meet victim need. Study findings have policy and practice...

Media—in particular news coverage—contribute toward shaping public understanding and opinion on societal issues, and influence policies, programs, and legislative action. While a small number of previous studies have explored journalists' reporting on other social issues, very little is known about their perceptions and knowledge of human trafficking. In this exploratory...

Illinois victims and victim service providers indicate that legal services are needed post-victimization, and for many victims in the state this need is left unmet. Meeting a victim's legal needs is key to ensuring their safety and security and enabling them to continue to recover from their victimization experience. Crime...

Researchers conducted a statewide study to better understand crime victim needs, identify service gaps, and measure the capacity of Illinois victim service providers. Victim service providers from across Illinois identified the needs of violent crime victims. Providers also highlighted service gaps, or ways in which current service availability was unable...

The Task Force on Missing and Murdered Chicago Women Act created the task force, comprised of legislators, victim service providers, and criminal justice stakeholders to examine five priority areas outlined in the Act. These included: a) systemic causes of violence against Chicago women and girls; b) methods for tracking and...

National and state-level research points to higher rates of crime victimization, such as bullying, harassment, intimate partner violence, among individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+). Following victimization, victims may share their experiences with informal supports (i.e., social networks) and/or formal supports (i.e., physician, social service...

Researchers use interviewing as a qualitative tool to answer research questions. Researchers have an ethical obligation to protect study participants from harm, particularly when asking about sensitive topics. Interviews on potentially sensitive topics (e.g., victimization, criminal offending behaviors, substance use) can elicit emotional responses from both the participant...

The COVID-19 pandemic poses unique challenges for the criminal justice system. Despite statewide social distancing and stay-in-place orders, criminal justice practitioners and victim service providers must, to some extent, continue to directly interact with justice-involved individuals, victims, and others. This article describes some of the challenges criminal justice system practitioners...

ICJIA researchers conducted a process evaluation of the Safe From the Start (SFS) program, examining the program’s operation with a focus on its three core pillars of coalition building, direct services, and public awareness. Researchers analyzed data collected from clinicians and administrative staff across nine program sites via an online...

LGBTQ+ individuals experience victimization at higher rates than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts and one in five hate crimes victims are targeted for their LGBTQ+ identity. In addition, studies point to a high prevalence of other forms of trauma, including discrimination, harassment, and housing insecurity. ICJIA researchers surveyed 212 LGBTQ+...

The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) convened the Victim Services Planning Committee (VSPC) in early 2022 to recommend victim service priority funding areas. ICJIA researchers utilized various research methods, such as secondary data analysis, a survey, and focus groups, to better understand Illinois victim service needs and gaps and...

Illinois Helping Everyone Access Linked Systems (HEALS) is an Office for Victims or Crime-funded initiative seeking to improve systems’ response for children, youth, and families impacted by violence. Egyptian Health Department, located in Southern Illinois, was selected as the demonstration site for HEALS program implementation and evaluation. Researchers conducted a...

Although males experience intimate partner violence (IPV) at a rate only slightly lower than females, they are much less likely to receive formal victim services. We examined differences in males and females who received services for IPV victimization. Using InfoNet data web-based case management system used by domestic violence and...

With the implementation of stay-at-home orders to slow COVID-19 transmission, researchers and victim service providers raised concerns about an increase in the amount and severity of domestic violence (DV) incidents. Using InfoNet—an online database used by Illinois domestic violence (DV) and sexual assault (SA) service providers—researchers explored data collected on...

Improving victim services for underserved populations is a Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding priority. While VOCA does not define who “underserved populations” are, it does provide guidelines state administering agencies (SAAs), the entities that distribute VOCA funding, should use to designate underserved victims within their states. These guidelines state...

LGBTQ+ individuals experience victimization at higher rates than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts and one in five hate crimes victims are targeted for their LGBTQ+ identity. In addition, studies point to a high prevalence of other forms of trauma, including discrimination, harassment, and housing insecurity. ICJIA researchers surveyed 212 LGBTQ+...