The Scope of Crime Victim Services

Table of Contents:

Background and Statement of Need

For the past two decades, Attorneys General offices nationwide have identified needs of crime victims and survivors that they could address, and have developed programs and services to assist crime victims.

In 2003, a group of national victim advocates determined the need to identify the scope and range of services provided to victims and survivors of crime by Attorneys General offices nationwide. For many victims, Attorneys General offices provide appellate-level advocacy, services and assistance; sponsor victim compensation programs, and offer a range of services that help victims exercise their rights in the aftermath of a crime.

The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) and its President, California Attorney General Bill Lockyer, agreed that a summary of programs and services sponsored by Attorneys General would be helpful to crime victims, and those who serve them. NAAG sponsored this national survey with support from the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators (NAVAA) and Justice Solutions, Inc., and Attorneys General victim assistance staff in California, Illinois and Texas.

Methodology

A brief survey was developed that included questions about Attorneys Generals’ sponsorship of crime victim-related programs and services. Survey topics included the following:

  • Whether or not the Office has a specially designated unit to provide crime victim assistance programs and services.
  • Contact information for the Unit or Bureau.
  • The types of programs and services offered.
  • Activities related to appellate-level and/or death penalty cases.
  • Whether or not the Office is interested in joining an informal national network of Attorneys General offices to address issues related to crime victims’ rights and assistance.

The initial survey was disseminated via e-mail in February 2004, with a link to the NAVAA web site to complete the survey form. Follow-on reminder e-mails were disseminated in June 2004.

Survey Field

The survey field included 56 Attorneys General Offices in all 50 states, U.S. Territories, and the District of Columbia. A total of forty-seven responses were received (including the District of Columbia; and two responses each from Nevada and Missouri) representing 42 states, the District of Columbia and Guam.

Survey Findings


Designated Victim Service Units

All but seven respondents (Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Washington State and West Virginia) indicate they have a designated victim services unit.

Staffing for designated victim service units in 35 states totals 508 staff. Staffing patterns range from one person in nine programs, to more than 85 staff in several programs (Ohio has 85, Florida has 91 and Texas has 99 staff).

The designated units with the largest number of staff (20 or more) also administer the State’s Crime Victim Compensation Program: Texas, Florida, Ohio, Oregon, and Iowa.


Types of Services Provided

The table below indicates the scope and range of victim assistance services provided by Attorneys General Offices.

Services Provided
By Designated Victim Assistance Unit
By Another AG Unit
Crime Victim Compensation
17
15
Victim/Witness
28
10
General victim assistance (including information and referrals
37
4
Direct Assistance in appellate cases
27
8
Apellate cases and related victims' rights
28
7
Grant Management ; federal programs
20
10
Grant Management; state programs
14
14
Victim rights' compliance
22
5
Statewide information and referral phone line
13
13
Legislation
34
8
Media Awareness
32
20

Additional services provided by various Attorneys General Offices include the following:

  • Address confidentiality program.
  • Crisis response team.
  • Victims’ rights training.
  • Sexual assault forensic examiner program.
  • Public information and outreach programs.
  • Statewide victim notification program.
  • Audits of criminal justice agencies for victims’ rights compliance.
  • Elder death review team.

 

Victim Assistance in Capital Cases

Thirty-four of the survey respondents handle capital cases. There is a wide range of services provided to crime victims throughout the capital case process, including:

  • Accompaniment to criminal justice proceedings.
  • Support services and information from trial through the execution.
  • Appellate notification.
  • Referral support for victims’ families.
  • Services in cases tried by the Attorney General.
  • Upon request in cases tried by a local prosecutor: information about victims’ rights, case status information; explanation of court processes; and referrals to community agencies.
  • Death notification services throughout the appellate process.
    Services at both the trial and appellate levels.
  • Victim notification of case status, disposition, and explanation of the appellate process, including notification when/if Executive Clemency or a stay is granted.
  • Accompaniment to oral arguments and evidentiary hearings at the appellate level.
  • Referrals to Departments of Corrections for victims who choose to witness executions, and providing supportive services throughout the execution process.
  • Education and support.
  • Working with the news media and media advocacy on behalf of crime victims.
  • Assistance to victim family members who, with the consent of both parties, choose to meet with the death row inmate.

Creating a National Network

Forty-six survey respondents indicated an interest in maintaining an informal network of victim service contacts within Attorneys General Offices.

 

Attorneys General Victim Services Network Contacts

State
Contact/Title/Agency
Contact Information
Alabama

Charla Doucet
Administrator

11 South Union Street
Montgomery AL 36130
334-242-7305
cdoucet@ago.state.al.us
Alaska
Cathy Satterfield
Statewide Victim-Witness Coordinator Alaska Dept of Law - Criminal Division - Central Office
310 K Street Suite 507
Anchorage AK 99501
907-269-7942
cathy_satterfield@law.state.ak.us
Arizona
Marna McLendon
Director
Office of Victim Services
1275 West Washington
Phoenix AZ 85007
(602) 364-3329
marna.mclendon@ag.state.az.us
California
Jonathan Raven
Deputy Attorney General/Director
Office of Victims' Services
1300 I Street
Sacramento California 95814
(916) 324-9945
jonathan.raven@doj.ca.gov
Colorado
Judy Page
Victim Services Coordinator
Victim Assistance
Criminal Justice Section
Attorney General's Office
1525 Sherman Street,
7th Floor
Denver CO 80203
Delaware
Mariann Kenville-Moore
Director, Victim Witness Program
Criminal Division Victim Witness Program
820 N. French St.
Wilmington, De 19801
302-577-8841
Mariann.Kenville-Moore@State.De.Us
Dictrict of Columbia
Angela Thornton Harvey
Chief
Neighborhood and Victim Services Section
441 4th Street NW - 4N61
Washington DC 20001
202-727-3882
angela.harvey@dc.gov
Florida
Rodney Doss
Director
Division of Victim Services and Criminal Justice Programs
Office of Attorney Genera
The Capitol, PL-01
Tallahassee Fl 32399-1050
850/414-3346
rodney_doss@oag.state.fl.us
Georgia
Mary Beth Westmoreland
Deputy Attorney General
Criminal Justice Division
State Law Department
40 Capitol Square, S.W.
Atlanta Ga 30334-1300
404-656-3349
mary_beth.westmoreland@law.state.ga.us
Guam
Mirta A. Walther
Victim/Witness Supervisor
Crime Victims’ Response Unit
Calvo & Arriola Building, Suite 202
259 Martyr Street
Hagatna, GU 96910
671-475-3132
Hawaii
Adrian Kwock
Branch Chief
Grants & Planning
235 So. Beretania Street
Suite 401
Honolulu HI 96813
(808) 586-1155
Adrian.P.Kwock@hawaii.gov
Illinois
Jennifer Kuhn
Chief
Crime Victims Services Division
100 W. Randolph, 13th Floor
Chicago IL 60601
312/814-1427
jkuhn@atg.state.il.us
Iowa
Marti Anderson, MSW, LISW
Division Director
Crime Victim Assistance Division
Lucas State Office Building
321 East 12th Street
Des Moines IA 50319
515-281-5044
marti.anderson@ag.state.ia.us
Kansas
Gene Schmidt
State Crime Victims' Rights Coordinator
Crime Victims' Services
120 SW 10th Ave
2nd Floor
Topeka KS 66612
785-296-2215
schmidtg@ksag.org
Kentucky
Lana Grandon
Assistant Attorney General
Victims Advocacy Divsion
1024 Capital Center Drive
Frankfort KY 40601
502-696-5312
Lana.Grandon@law.state.ky.us
Lousiana
Kristen Martin
Victim/Witness Coordinator
Criminal Division
P.O.Box 94005
Baton Rouge LA 70570
(225) 326-6200
martink@ag.state.la.us
Maine
Jessica Maurer
Special Assistant Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
6 State House Station
Augusta ME 04333-0006
(207) 626-8515
Jessica.Maurer@Maine.Gov
Maryland
Barbara S. Bond
Executive Assistant; Director of Victim Services
Office of the Attorney General
200 St. Paul Place, 20th Floor
Baltimore Md 21202
410-576-6405
bbond@oag.state.md.us
Massachusetts
Kathy Morrissey
DirectorVictim Witness Assistance Division
Criminal Bureau
Office of the Attorney General
One Ashburton Place
Boston MA 02l08
(6l7) 727-2200 X2856
kathy.morrissey@ago.state.ma.us
Minnesota
Sandy Warmanen
Paralegal/Victim Witness Coordinator
MN Attorney General's Office Criminal Division
445 Minnesota Street
Suite 1800, NCL
St. Paul MN 55101
651/296-7581
sandy.warmanen@state.mn.us
Mississippi
Sandra K. Morrison
Division Director
Division of Victim Compensation
P. O. Box 220
Jackson MS 39205
800/829-6766
Missouri
Sarah Madden
Assistant Attorney General
Administration
State of Missouri, Attorney General's Office
Supreme Court Building
Jefferson City MO 65102
(573) 751-1800
sarah.madden@ago.mo.gov
Missouri
Deborah Daniels
Chief Counsel
Criminal Division
P.O.Box 899
Jefferson City MO 65102
573-751-4129
debbie.daniels@ago.mo.gov
Montana
Matthew Dale
Director
Office of Victim Services
PO Box 201401
Helena MT 59620-1401
(406)444-1907
mdale@state.mt.us
Nebraska
Marie Colleen Clarke
Assistant Attorney General
Criminal Bureau
Nebraska Department of Justice
2115 State Capitol
Lincoln NE 68509
(402) 471-2682
mclarke@notes.state.ne.us
Nevada
Victor-Hugo Schulze, II
Deputy Attorney General, Special Prosecution/Habeas Corpus Unit-South, Capital Case Coordinator, Hate Crimes Coordinator, and Victim Advocacy
Victim Advocacy-Crime Victims' Education ProjectOffice of the Attorney General
555 E. Washington Av., #3900
Las Vegas NV 89101
702.486.3110
vhschulz@ag.state.nv.us
Nevada
Lori Fralick
Domestic Violence Ombudsman
Violence Against Women Programs
100 N. Carson Street
Carson City NV 89701
775-684-1115
llfralic@ag.state.nv.us
New Hampshire
Sandra Matheson
Director
State Office of Victim/Witness Assistance
NH Atorney General's Office
33 Capitol Street
Concord NH 3301
603-271-3671
sandi.matheson@doj.nh.gov
New Mexico
Annie Henz
Victim AdvocateViolence Against Women Intervention and Prevention
111 Lomas, NW, Suite 300
Albuquerque NM 87102
505-222-9034
ahenz@aho.state.nm.us
New York
Mindy Bockstein
Crime Victim Advocate
Executive
120 Broadway, 26th Fl.
New York NY 10271
212-416-8147
Mindy.Bockstein@oag.state.ny.us
North Carolina
William M Polk
Director
Victims and Citizens Services Section
9001 Mail Service Center
Raleigh NC 27699-9001
919-716-6780
vcs@ncdoj.com
North Dakota
Jonathan Byers
Assistant Attorney General
Criminal and Regulatory
600 East Boulevard Ave
Bismarck ND 58554
701/328-4183
jbyers@state.nd.us
Ohio
Gail L.B. DeWolf
Sr. Deputy Attorney General
Crime Victims Services Section, Ohio Attorney General's Office
150 East Gay Street, 25th Floor
Columbus OH 43215
(614) 466-5610
gdewolf@ag.state.oh.us
Oklahoma
Allyson Carson
Victim/Witness Coordinator
Criminal Appeals
2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Room 112
Oklahoma City OK 73105
(405) 522-4397
allyson_carson@oag.state.ok.us
Oregon
Connie Gallagher
Director
Crime Victims' Assistance Section
Oregon Department of Justice
1162 Court Street NE
Salem OR 97301-4096
503/378-5348
connie.gallagher@state.or.us
Rhode Island
Aida Patricia Crosson
Director of Victims Services
Victims Services
Department of Attorney General
150 South Main Street
Providence RI 2903
401-274-4400 ext.2285
acrosson@riag.state.ri.us
South Carolina
Sandi S. Wofford
Director, Victim Services
S.C. Attorney General's Office
P.O. Box 11549
Columbia SC 29211
803-734-3740
agswofford@ag.state.sc.us
South Dakota
Charles McGuigan
Assistant Attorney General
500 East Capitol Avenue
Pierre SD 57501
605-773-3215
charles.mcguigan@state.sd.us
Texas
Suzanne McDaniel
Victim Assistance & Communications Director
P.O. Box 12548
Austin Tx 78711
(512) 936-1269
Suzanne.McDaniel@oag.state.tx.us
Utah
Tammie Atkin
Victim/Witness Coordinator
Commercial Enforcement
160 East 300 South
P.O. Box140872
Salt Lake City Ut 84114
801-366-0223
Tatkin@Utah.Gov
Vermont
Amy Farr
Victim Advocate
Criminal Division
Office of Attorney General
109 State Street
Montpelier VT 5609
802-828-5512
afarr@atg.state.vt.us
Virginia
The Honorable Jerry W. Kilgore
Attorney General of Virgnia
Office of the Attorney General
900 East Main Street
Richmond VA 23219
804-786-2071
mail@oag.state.va.us
Washington
Scott Blonien
Sr. Assistant Attorney General
Criminal Justice Division
PO Box 40116
Olympia, WA 98504-0116
360-586-1445
scottb@atg.wa.gov
Wisconsin
Nancy Nusbaum
Director
Office of Crime Victim Services
P.O. Box 7951
Madison, WI 53707
608-264-9497
nusbaumnj@doj.state.wi.us

 

 

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