The Special Prosecution Unit of the Agency consists of five experienced trial attorneys who assist in prosecuting criminal cases when requested to do so by and at the direction of the State's Attorney and solely prosecute criminal cases when duly appointed by a court having jurisdiction. The Administrator of the Unit is Charles R. Zalar, former State's Attorney of Grundy County. The other prosecutors are also former State's Attorneys. They are: Edwin Parkinson (Morgan County), Michael Vujovich (Assistant State's Attorney - Sangamon County), David Rands (Richland County), and Charles Colburn (Morgan County).

If a conflict of interest arises in a State's Attorneys office, and the State's Attorney wants an independent, detached review and prosecution by an outside person, or if special assistance is needed due to the complexity of a case, the Agency makes the services of the Special Prosecution Unit available.

The Unit has been particularly active in downstate Illinois, where personnel and financial resources are more limited than in the more populous counties. Trial assistance has been provided in numerous murder cases, cases dealing with official misconduct of public officials, as well as numerous other criminal and civil matters when the State's Attorney was unable to prosecute. During FY07, the Unit provided assistance to State's Attorneys in 427 cases in 70 counties.

The State's Attorneys have found the services of the Unit to be particularly helpful to them. Frequently, when the Unit is asked to assist, the cases involve complex issues and trial experience is a absolute necessity. The five prosecutors have over 110 years of combined prosecutorial experience.

The Special Prosection Unit has become a valuable resource to the State's Attorneys of Illinois. The combination of a unit of experienced trial prosecutors with legal and technical expertise and the Agency's appellate staff attorneys provides the trial courts with needed expert assistance in complex cases.

During FY07, the following counties utilized the Special Prosecution Unit: