The Domestic Violence Fatality Review Act (Public Act 102-0520) was signed into law in August 2021 creating a process to establish domestic violence fatality review (DVFR) teams across Illinois. Fatality reviews consist of multi-disciplinary, multi-agency teams of stakeholders working together to examine data from a variety of sources to piece together the days, months, and years leading up to a person’s death. Domestic Violence Fatality Review aims to prevent future domestic violence related fatalities and near fatalities and reduce the severity and frequency of domestic violence. This process is accomplished by looking at both strengths and vulnerabilities in various interventions that may lead to adverse outcomes for survivors, victims, and their families.

Regional Domestic Violence Fatality Review Teams are responsible for conducting a designated number of comprehensive individual case reviews quarterly. These cases will consist of fatalities and near-fatalities that are believed to be the result of domestic violence, including overdoses and suicides. As part of these in-depth case reviews, teams will collect and review a variety of records, conduct interviews, look at victim/survivor/abuser contact with various systems, and identify both vulnerabilities and strengths in the intervention process. Teams will use their findings to identify opportunities for improvement in domestic violence intervention strategies and systems collaboration and make annual recommendations to the Statewide Committee. The 21st Judicial Circuit (Kankakee and Iroquois Counties) are one of five pioneer sites for a regional review team in Illinois, among Madison and Bond County, Will County, Rockford, and Lake County.