740 ILCS 147

in effect

740 ILCS 147/1

(740 ILCS 147/1) Sec. 1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the Illinois Streetgang Terrorism Omnibus Prevention Act. (Source: P.A. 87-932.)

(740 ILCS 147/5) Sec. 5. Legislative findings. (a) The General Assembly hereby finds and declares that it is the right of every person, regardless of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability, to be secure and protected from fear, intimidation, and physical harm caused by the activities of violent groups and individuals. It is not the intent of this Act to interfere with the exercise of the constitutionally protected rights of freedom of expression and association. The General Assembly hereby recognizes the constitutional right of every citizen to harbor and express beliefs on any lawful subject whatsoever, to lawfully associate with others who share similar beliefs, to petition lawfully constituted authority for a redress of perceived grievances, and to participate in the electoral process. (b) The General Assembly finds, however, that urban, suburban, and rural communities, neighborhoods and schools throughout the State are being terrorized and plundered by streetgangs. The General Assembly finds that there are now several hundred streetgangs operating in Illinois, and that while their terrorism is most widespread in urban areas, streetgangs are spreading into suburban and rural areas of Illinois. (c) The General Assembly further finds that streetgangs are often controlled by criminally sophisticated adults who take advantage of our youth by intimidating and coercing them into membership by employing them as drug couriers and runners, and by using them to commit brutal crimes against persons and property to further the financial benefit to and dominance of the streetgang. (d) These streetgangs' activities present a clear and present danger to public order and safety and are not constitutionally protected. No society is or should be required to endure such activities without redress. Accordingly, it is the intent of the General Assembly in enacting this Act to create a civil remedy against streetgangs and their members that focuses upon patterns of criminal gang activity and upon the organized nature of streetgangs, which together have been the chief source of their success. (Source: P.A. 87-932.)

740 ILCS 147/10 Definitions

(740 ILCS 147/10) Sec. 10. Definitions. "Course or pattern of criminal activity" means 2 or more gang-related criminal offenses committed in whole or in part within this State when: (1) at least one such offense was committed after the effective date of this Act; (2) both offenses were committed within 5 years of each other; and (3) at least one offense involved the solicitation to commit, conspiracy to commit, attempt to commit, or commission of any offense defined as a felony or forcible felony under the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012. "Course or pattern of criminal activity" also means one or more acts of criminal defacement of property under Section 21-1.3 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012, if the defacement includes a sign or other symbol intended to identify the streetgang. "Designee of State's Attorney" or "designee" means any attorney for a public authority who has received written permission from the State's Attorney to file or join in a civil action authorized by this Act. "Public authority" means any unit of local government or school district created or established under the Constitution or laws of this State. "State's Attorney" means the State's Attorney of any county where an offense constituting a part of a course or pattern of gang-related criminal activity has occurred or has been committed. "Streetgang" or "gang" or "organized gang" or "criminal street gang" means any combination, confederation, alliance, network, conspiracy, understanding, or other similar conjoining, in law or in fact, of 3 or more persons with an established hierarchy that, through its membership or through the agency of any member engages in a course or pattern of criminal activity. For purposes of this Act, it shall not be necessary to show that a particular conspiracy, combination, or conjoining of persons possesses, acknowledges, or is known by any common name, insignia, flag, means of recognition, secret signal or code, creed, belief, structure, leadership or command structure, method of operation or criminal enterprise, concentration or specialty, membership, age, or other qualifications, initiation rites, geographical or territorial situs or boundary or location, or other unifying mark, manner, protocol or method of expressing or indicating membership when the conspiracy's existence, in law or in fact, can be demonstrated by a preponderance of other competent evidence. However, any evidence reasonably tending to show or demonstrate, in law or in fact, the existence of or membership in any conspiracy, confederation, or other association described herein, or probative of the existence of or membership in any such association, shall be admissible in any action or proceeding brought under this Act. "Streetgang member" or "gang member" means any person who actually and in fact belongs to a gang, and any person who knowingly acts in the capacity of an agent for or accessory to, or is legally accountable for, or voluntarily associates himself with a course or pattern of gang-related criminal activity, whether in a preparatory, executory, or cover-up phase of any activity, or who knowingly performs, aids, or abets any such activity. "Streetgang related" or "gang-related" means any criminal activity, enterprise, pursuit, or undertaking directed by, ordered by, authorized by, consented to, agreed to, requested by, acquiesced in, or ratified by any gang leader, officer, or governing or policy-making person or authority, or by any agent, representative, or deputy of any such officer, person, or authority: (1) with the intent to increase the gang's size, membership, prestige, dominance, or control in any geographical area; or (2) with the intent to provide the gang with any advantage in, or any control or dominance over any criminal market sector, including but not limited to, the manufacture, delivery, or sale of controlled substances or cannabis; arson or arson-for-hire; traffic in stolen property or stolen credit cards; traffic in prostitution, obscenity, or pornography; or that involves robbery, burglary, or theft; or (3) with the intent to exact revenge or retribution for the gang or any member of the gang; or (4) with the intent to obstruct justice, or intimidate or eliminate any witness against the gang or any member of the gang; or (5) with the intent to otherwise directly or indirectly cause any benefit, aggrandizement, gain, profit or other advantage whatsoever to or for the gang, its reputation, influence, or membership. (Source: P.A. 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13.)

740 ILCS 147/15

(740 ILCS 147/15) Sec. 15. Creation of civil cause of action. (a) A civil cause of action is hereby created in favor of any public authority expending money, allocating or reallocating police, firefighting, emergency or other personnel or resources, or otherwise incurring any loss, deprivation, or injury, or sustaining any damage, impairment, or harm whatsoever, proximately caused by any course or pattern of criminal activity. (b) The cause of action created by this Act shall lie against: (1) any streetgang in whose name, for whose benefit, on whose behalf, or under whose direction the act was committed; and (2) any gang officer or director who causes, orders, suggests, authorizes, consents to, agrees to, requests, acquiesces in, or ratifies any such act; and (3) any gang member who, in the furtherance of or in connection with, any gang-related activity, commits any such act; and (4) any gang officer, director, leader, or member. (c) The cause of action authorized by this Act shall be brought by the State's Attorney or attorneys, or by his or their designees. This cause of action shall be in addition to any other civil or criminal proceeding authorized by the laws of this State or by federal law, and shall not be construed as requiring the State's Attorney or his designee to elect a civil, rather than criminal remedy, or as replacing any other cause of action. Liability of the gang, its officers, directors, leaders, and members shall be joint and severable subject only to the apportionment and allocation of punitive damage authorized under Section 35 of this Act. (Source: P.A. 87-932.)

740 ILCS 147/20

(740 ILCS 147/20) Sec. 20. Commencement of action. (a) An action may be commenced under this Act by the filing of a verified complaint as in civil cases. (b) A complaint filed under this Act, and all other ancillary or collateral matters arising therefrom, including matter relating to discovery, motions, trial, and the perfection or execution of judgments shall be subject to the Code of Civil Procedure, except as may be otherwise provided in this Act, or except as the court may otherwise order upon motion of the State's Attorney or his designee in matters relating to immunity or the physical safety of witnesses. (c) The complaint shall name each complaining State's Attorney or his designee, and the public authority represented by him or by them. (d) The complaint shall also name as defendants the gang, all known gang officers, and any gang members specifically identified or alleged in the complaint as having participated in a course or pattern of gang-related criminal activity. The complaint may also name, as a class of defendants, all unknown gang members. (e) When, at any point prior to trial, other specific gang officers or members become known, the complaint may be amended to include any such person as a named defendant. (Source: P.A. 87-932.)

740 ILCS 147/25 Venue

(740 ILCS 147/25) Sec. 25. Venue. (a) In an action brought under this Act, venue shall lie in any county where an act charged in the complaint as part of a course or pattern of gang-related criminal activity was committed. (b) It shall not be necessary for all offenses necessary to establishing a course or pattern of criminal activity to have occurred in any one county where the State's Attorneys of several counties, or their designees, each complaining of any offense, elected to join in a complaint. In such instance, it shall be sufficient that the complaint, taken as a whole, alleges a course or pattern of gang-related criminal activity, and each count of any such joint complaint shall be considered as cumulative to other counts for purposes of alleging or demonstrating such a course or pattern of activity. (c) Where a course or pattern of activity is alleged to have been committed or to have occurred in more than one county, the State's Attorney of each such county, or their designees, may join their several causes of action in a single complaint, which may be filed in any such county agreed to by or among them, but no such joinder shall be had without the consent of the State's Attorney having jurisdiction over each offense alleged as part of the course or pattern of activity. (Source: P.A. 87-932.)

740 ILCS 147/30

(740 ILCS 147/30) Sec. 30. Service of process. (a) All streetgangs and streetgang members engaged in a course or pattern of gang-related criminal activity within this State impliedly consent to service of process upon them as set forth in this Section, or as may be otherwise authorized by the Code of Civil Procedure. (b) Service of process upon a streetgang may be had by leaving a copy of the complaint and summons directed to any officer of such gang, commanding the gang to appear and answer the complaint or otherwise plead at a time and place certain: (1) with any gang officer; or (2) with any individual member of the gang simultaneously named therein; or (3) in the manner provided for service upon a voluntary unincorporated association in a civil action; or (4) in the manner provided for service by publication in a civil action; or (5) with any parent, legal guardian, or legal custodian of any persons charged with a gang-related offense when any person sued civilly under this Act is under 18 years of age and is also charged criminally or as a delinquent minor; or (6) with the director of any agency or department of this State who is the legal guardian, guardianship administrator, or custodian of any person sued under this Act; or (7) with the probation or parole officer or aftercare specialist of any person sued under this Act; or (8) with such other person or agent as the court may, upon petition of the State's Attorney or his or her designee, authorize as appropriate and reasonable under all of the circumstances. (c) If after being summoned a streetgang does not appear, the court shall enter an answer for the streetgang neither affirming nor denying the allegations of the complaint but demanding strict proof thereof, and proceed to trial and judgment without further process. (d) When any person is named as a defendant streetgang member in any complaint, or subsequently becomes known and is added or joined as a named defendant, service of process may be had as authorized or provided for in the Code of Civil Procedure for service of process in a civil case. (e) Unknown gang members may be sued as a class and designated as such in the caption of any complaint filed under this Act. Service of process upon unknown members may be made in the manner prescribed for provision of notice to members of a class in a class action, or as the court may direct for providing the best service and notice practicable under the circumstances which shall include individual, personal, or other service upon all members who can be identified and located through reasonable effort. (Source: P.A. 98-558, eff. 1-1-14.)

740 ILCS 147/35

(740 ILCS 147/35) Sec. 35. Injunctive relief, damages, costs, and fees. (a) In any action brought under this Act, and upon the verified application of the State's Attorney or his designee, the circuit court may at any time enter such restraining orders, injunctions, or other prohibitions, or order such other relief as it deems proper, including but not limited to ordering any person to divest himself of any involvement or interest, direct or indirect, in any illegal streetgang activity and imposing other reasonable restrictions on the future illegal activities of any defendant. (b) A final judgement in favor of a public authority under this Act shall entitle it to recover compensatory damages for all damages, losses, impairments, or other harm proximately caused, together with the costs of the suit and reasonable attorneys' fees. Punitive damages may be assessed against any streetgang, against any streetgang officer or member found guilty of actual participation in or to be legally accountable for a course or pattern of criminal activity under this Act. (Source: P.A. 87-932.)

740 ILCS 147/40 Forfeiture

(740 ILCS 147/40) Sec. 40. Forfeiture. (a) The following are subject to seizure and forfeiture: (1) any property that is directly or indirectly used or intended for use in any manner to facilitate streetgang related activity; and (2) any property constituting or derived from gross profits or other proceeds obtained from streetgang related activity. (b) Property subject to forfeiture under this Section may be seized under the procedures set forth in Section 36-2.1 of the Criminal Code of 2012, except that actual physical seizure of real property subject to forfeiture under this Act requires the issuance of a seizure warrant. Nothing in this Section prohibits the constructive seizure of real property through the filing of a complaint for forfeiture in circuit court and the recording of a lis pendens against the real property without a hearing, warrant application, or judicial approval. (c) The State's Attorney may initiate forfeiture proceedings under the procedures in Article 36 of the Criminal Code of 2012. The State shall bear the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that the property was acquired through a pattern of streetgang related activity. (d) Property forfeited under this Section shall be disposed of in accordance with Section 36-7 of Article 36 of the Criminal Code of 2012 for the forfeiture of vehicles, vessels, and aircraft. (e) Within 60 days of the date of the seizure of contraband under this Section, the State's Attorney shall initiate forfeiture proceedings as provided in Article 36 of the Criminal Code of 2012. An owner or person who has a lien on the property may establish as a defense to the forfeiture of property that is subject to forfeiture under this Section that the owner or lienholder had no knowledge that the property was acquired through a pattern of streetgang related activity. Property that is forfeited under this Section shall be disposed of as provided in Article 36 of the Criminal Code of 2012 for the forfeiture of vehicles, vessels, and aircraft. The proceeds of the disposition shall be paid to the Gang Violence Victims and Witnesses Fund to be used to assist in the prosecution of gang crimes. (f) Property seized or forfeited under this Section is subject to reporting under the Seizure and Forfeiture Reporting Act. (g) The changes made to this Section by Public Act 100-512 only apply to property seized on and after July 1, 2018. (Source: P.A. 100-512, eff. 7-1-18; 100-699, eff. 8-3-18; 100-1163, eff. 12-20-18.)

740 ILCS 147/45

(740 ILCS 147/45) Sec. 45. Abatement as public nuisance. (a) Any real property that is erected, established, maintained, owned, leased, or used by any streetgang for the purpose of conducting streetgang related activity constitutes a public nuisance and may be abated as provided in Article 37 of the Criminal Code of 2012 relating to public nuisances. (b) An action to abate a nuisance under this Section may be brought by the State's Attorney of the county where the seizure occurred. (c) Any person who is injured by reason of streetgang related activity shall have a cause of action for 3 times the actual damages sustained and, if appropriate, punitive damages; however, no cause of action shall arise under this subsection (c) as a result of an otherwise legitimate commercial transaction between parties to a contract or agreement for the sale of lawful goods or property or the sale of securities regulated by the Illinois Securities Law of 1953 or by the federal Securities and Exchange Commission. The person shall also recover reasonable attorney's fees, costs, and expenses. (Source: P.A. 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13.)

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs.aspFetched: 10/17/2026