Victim Witness Assistance Programs
The District Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Assistance Program is dedicated to providing advocacy and supportive services to victims of crime in our community. Becoming a victim of crime can have a devastating impact on a person, families, and the community. Victims of crime may suffer physical, emotional, or financial harm. Others may face retaliation, intimidation, or are confused by the criminal justice system. The Victim Witness program advocates are extensively trained, compassionate individuals who are here to assist you through the difficult task of coping with these challenges.
As our community begins to heal from the shooting that occurred at Arden Fair Mall on November 27th, the Victim Witness Program with the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office has identified some resources for those who were at the mall when this occurred. You can call 211 for referrals to counselors or visit them at www.211sacramento.org; text HOME to 741741 or reach out to the law enforcement chaplaincy confidential help line at 916-857-1801. Attached are some tip sheets that will help you identify some emotional/physical reactions you may be experiencing, what reactions to expect from children based on their ages and national helplines for you to utilize.
Our team of dedicated and trained Victim Witness Advocates provides:
-
Crisis intervention
-
Information about Victim’s rights (link to Marsy’s Law here)
-
Orientation to the criminal justice system (link to our witness guide to court proceedings)
-
Resources and community referrals
-
Assistance with obtaining restraining or no contact orders
-
Advocacy for victims within the criminal justice system
-
Assistance with applying for victim compensation
-
Homicide Survivors Support group for family members of homicide victims, (link to our Homicide Support Network Brochure)
-
Court escort: attending court hearings with victims to provide emotional support
-
Other services include: Provide referrals to emergency community resources, Employer intervention, assistance with enrolling in SIRENS, coordination with the community, training for community agencies, and assistance with filing claims with the California Victim Compensation Program.
*Our program has assistance and information available in several languages and also utilizes a translation service.
Victim Witness Rights (Brochures)
-
To be treated with dignity and compassion
-
To be protected from intimidation and harm
-
To be informed about the criminal justice process
Additional Program Services
-
Victim and Witness Services
-
Homicide Support Network – Newsletters
-
Comfort Dog
-
Other Services – including services for elder abuse, domestic violence, hate crimes, and homicide
-
Victim FAQs / Witness FAQs
-
Resources– including community and statewide resources
For inquiries regarding victim restitution, please email restitution@sacda.org.
Click here for brochure of Victim Witness Assistance Program – also in:
– Cantonese: 受害者權利法案
– Hmong: COV NEEG RAUG UA PHEM COV CAI NPLUA NYIAJ
– Russian: ЗАКОН О ПРАВАХ ПОТЕРПЕВШИХ
– Spanish: DECLARACIÓN DE DERECHOS DE LAS VÍCTIMAS
– Vietnamese: LUẬT VỀ CÁC QUYỀN CỦA NẠN NHÂN
Witness Guide to Court Proceedings Brochure
Click here for the brochure
VICTIMS OF CRIME COMPENSATION (link to CalVCB)
The California Victim Compensation Program provides financial reimbursement to victims of crime who suffer unreimbursed financial losses due to physical/emotional injury as a direct result of a crime. This program is funded by fines and penalties assessed by the courts and deposited in the Restitution Fund.
YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR COMPENSATION IF:
-
You are injured as a result of a violent crime.
-
You depend on the victim for support.
-
You pay the medical or burial expenses of a victim who dies as a result of a crime.
-
You are a member of the family of a victim who is injured or murdered, and you need counseling as a result of the crime.
REQUIREMENTS:
-
You must file an application within three years of the date of the crime.
-
You must report the crime to the police and cooperate with them in the investigation and prosecution of the case.
-
Your actions must not have contributed to the crime.