(a) The Chief State's Attorney shall establish a racketeering and continuing criminal activities unit within the Division of Criminal Justice. Such unit shall be available for the investigation and prosecution of criminal matters including, but not limited to, the illegal purchase and sale of controlled substances, criminal activity by gangs, fraud, corruption, illegal gambling and the recruitment of persons to carry out such illegal activities.

(b) The Chief State's Attorney shall establish a bond forfeiture unit within the Division of Criminal Justice. Such unit shall be responsible for the collection, in the name of the state, and by suit when necessary, of all forfeited bonds payable to the state. Such unit may compromise and settle forfeited bonds for less than the amount thereof without regard to the expiration of any stay of forfeiture.

(c) The Chief State's Attorney shall develop uniform standards for the compromise and settlement of forfeited bonds. Such standards shall be applied on a state-wide basis.

(P.A. 94-164, S. 1–3, 8; P.A. 96-169, S. 18; July 21 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-1, S. 1, 8.)

History: P.A. 96-169 amended Subsec. (d) to add the investigation and prosecution of vendor fraud in programs operated by the Department of Social Services as a purpose of the allocation of forfeited bonds (Revisor's note: The word “for” was added editorially by the Revisors before new language to conform added material to existing language); July 21 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-1 deleted former Subsecs. (d) and (e) re allocation of funds collected as forfeited bonds, effective July 23, 1997, and applicable to fiscal year commencing July 1, 1997.