By Greg Halbleib

NORMAL – Crime victims no longer have to be interviewed in the same room as crime suspects at Illinois State University.

ISU Police have remodeled a room specifically for victims designed to be non-threatening according to Chief Aaron Woodruff.

“We had a single interview room,” Woodruff said. “Most interview rooms that you use typically for suspect situations are pretty sparse. There’s not a whole to them, but they’re not very comforting when there’s somebody who’s already been traumatized by some type of crime.”

The room includes a couch and decorations including wall graphics with supportive messages. Woodruff says the goal is to provide victims with a supportive environment.

“This has been something that’s kind of been in the works that we’ve been trying to do where somebody who’s been the victim of a crime doesn’t have to feel like they’re instead the suspect in a situation,” Woodruff said, “particularly those crimes that tend to be the most traumatizing, which tend to be sexual assault and domestic violence.”

Woodruff credits Martin’s Home Furnishings for donating furniture and ISU Printing Services for providing wall decor.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].