State Hires Collections Firm to Address Victim Restitution Backlog

Consultant to help recoup payments from thousands of offenders who have not paid in months

Apr. 20, 2026 at 5:24am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a crumpled financial document reflecting a harsh, direct camera flash, conceptually representing the state's efforts to recover unpaid restitution owed to crime victims.A collections agency steps in to recover a backlog of unpaid restitution owed to crime victims by thousands of offenders.Chicago Today

The state has hired a Chicago-based collections firm to help address a backlog of restitution payments owed to crime victims. The backlog involves over 13,000 offenders, with 60% of them having made no payments in the past 60 days.

Why it matters

Ensuring timely restitution payments to victims is a critical part of the criminal justice system, providing financial compensation and a sense of accountability. However, the growing backlog has left many victims waiting years to receive the funds they are owed, creating additional hardship.

The details

The state's Department of Corrections has contracted with a Chicago collections firm to help track down the thousands of offenders who have fallen behind on their court-ordered restitution payments. The backlog currently stands at over 13,000 cases, with 60% of offenders having made no payments in the past 60 days.

  • The state hired the collections firm in April 2026.

The players

Department of Corrections

The state agency responsible for overseeing the criminal justice system and ensuring restitution payments are made to victims.

Chicago Collections Firm

A private collections agency hired by the state to help recoup the backlog of unpaid restitution owed to crime victims.

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What’s next

The collections firm will begin contacting the 13,000 offenders with outstanding restitution payments in the coming weeks to establish payment plans and recover the owed funds.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges the criminal justice system faces in ensuring timely restitution for victims, underscoring the need for more robust systems and resources to hold offenders accountable and provide victims with the compensation they are owed.