The Illinois General Assembly created the Council in 1991. It is an 11-member coalition composed of representatives from the insurance industry, State's Attorney, and law enforcement. The Council's mandate is to reduce vehicle theft, insurance fraud, and motor vehicle theft-related crimes in Illinois. The State's Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Act requires insurance companies to pay into a special trust fund based on the number of private passenger automobiles insured for physical damage. This fund, which is approximately $6 million annually, is collected and distributed by the Council. The funds are designated for law enforcement programs that increase the investigation and prosecution of vehicle theft-related crimes. The Grant Review Committee of the Council reviews all grant proposals, budgets, and additional information brought before the Council. An analysis of motor vehicle theft trends in the State shows that since the Council was established in 1991, the annual number of motor vehicle theft offenses has decreased 40 percent, from 75,642 in 1991 to 45,262 in 2002. Since 1992, when grants were first awarded by the Council, 30 vehicle-theft programs have been funded. In 2003, the Council funded 13 programs: 7 task forces, 1 specialized prosecution program, 1 specialized investigations program, 1 vehicle theft training program, 1 vehicle maintenance program, and 2 data intelligence programs. There were 116 personnel supported by or assigned to funded programs in 2003. These programs are briefly described in this Annual Report.