Texas Crime Victims Rights

Rights of Crime Victims

As defined in Article 56, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, a victim of a violent crime is someone who: (1) has suffered bodily injury or death as a result of criminally injurious conduct, or who has been the victim of a crime involving sexual assault, kidnapping, or aggravated robbery; (2) is the close relative (spouse, parent, brother, sister, or adult child) of a victim; or (3) is the guardian of a victim. As a victim of violent crime, you have the following rights:

1. The right to protection from threats of harm arising from cooperation with prosecution efforts.

2. The right to have your safety and that of your family taken into consideration when bail is being considered.
3. If you so request, the right to be informed in advance about court proceedings, including cancellations or rescheduling.

4. If you so request, the right to information about procedures in the criminal investigation of your case by law enforcement officials, and about general procedures in the criminal justice system, including plea bargaining, restitution, appeals, and parole, from the prosecutor's office.

5. The right to receive information about the Texas Crime Victims' Compensation Fund that provides financial assistance to victims of violent crimes and, if you so request, referral to available social service agencies that may provide additional help.

6. The right to provide information to a probation department conducting a pre-sentence investigation on the impact of the crime.

7. The right to have a law enforcement agency pay for medical examinations for victims of sexual assault and, on request, the right to counseling regarding AIDS and HIV infection and testing for sexual assault victims.

8. If you so request, the right to be notified of parole proceedings by the Victim Services Section of the Pardons and Paroles Division, the right to participate in the parole process by submitting a victim impact statement or other information, and the right to be notified of the inmate's release.

9. The right to be present at all public court proceedings, if the presiding judge permits.

10. The right to a safe waiting area before and during court proceedings.

11. The right to prompt return of any property that is no longer required as evidence.

12. If you so request, the right to have the prosecutor notify your employer that the need for your testimony may involve your absence from work.

13. The right to complete a Victim Impact Statement, detailing the emotional, physical and financial impact that the crime has had on you and your family, and to have that statement considered by the judge at sentencing and by the parole board prior to taking any parole action.

Crime Victim's Compensation

Code of Criminal Procedure, Texas Crime Victims' Compensation Act, Chapter 56, Subchapter B
Purpose: To compensate residents of the United States who suffer personal injury or death as the result of a violent crime, including DWI, Stalking, Failure to Stop and Render Aid, and certain other vehicular crimes.
Administered by: The Office of the Attorney General, Crime Victims' Compensation Division, Austin, Texas.
Crime Victims' Compensation may be available to pay the amount of expense reasonably and necessarily incurred for:

(i) Medical, counseling, prescription and rehabilitative services;

(ii) Partial loss of earnings because of a disability resulting from personal injury, participation in the criminal justice process, or seeking medical treatment;

(iii) Child care for minor children to enable a victim or spouse of a deceased victim to continue employment;

(iv) Certain funeral and burial expenses;

(v) Reasonable costs associated with crime scene cleanup;

(vi) Reasonable replacement costs for clothing or bedding taken as evidence or made unusable as a result of the criminal investigation of a sexual assault;

(vii)Travel expenses necessary to participate in the criminal justice process and/or seek medical treatment;

(vii) One-time payment of certain relocation expenses in domestic violence cases;
Reimbursement for property damage or loss is not an eligible expense.
In order to qualify for Crime Victims' Compensation:

1. The crime must be reported to law enforcement within a reasonable amount of time unless there are justified extraordinary circumstances.

2. Claim must be filed within three years unless good cause can be shown as to why the claim wasn't filed.

3. The victim must cooperate with law enforcement and prosecution efforts.

4. The victim must be the innocent victim of a violent crime who suffers personal injury.

The Victim Assistance Program of the Mansfield Police Department will assist you in applying for benefits from Crime Victims' Compensation. Upon request, we will provide you with the claim form, will send the claim form and required documentation to CVC, and notify service providers that a claim has been applied for and is pending. Please allow us assist you in obtaining these benefits if you feel you may qualify.
For more information on Crime Victim's Compensation, http://www.oag.state.tx.us/victims/cvc.htm.
The Texas Office of the Attorney General's Crime Victim's Compensation phone number is 1-800-983-9933.

Helpful Phone Numbers

Local Resource List:

Tarrant County District Attorney, Victim Assistance (817) 884-2740

Tarrant County Probation, Victim Assistance (817) 884-1468

Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice Victims' Services 1-800-848-4284

24 Hour Numbers:

The Women's Shelter (24 hours) (817) 460-5566

Rape Crisis & Victim Services (24 hours) (817) 927-2737

Crisis Intervention (24 hours) (817) 927-5544

Tarrant County Mental Health/ Mental Retardation (24 hours) (817) 335-3022

Some of the local agencies that provide services to victims:

The Women's Shelter Resource Center (817) 548-0583

Family Service (counseling) (817) 277-1337

The Women's Center (817) 548-1663

West Texas Legal Services (817) 336-3943

District Attorney, Protective Order Unit (817) 884-1623

Children First Counseling Center (972) 264-0604

Crime Scene Cleanup of Texas (817) 429-2882

The Bridge Emergency Youth Shelter (817) 335-4673

Texas Resources :

Texas Crime Victims' Clearinghouse 1-800-252-3423

Family Violence Legal Line 1-800-374-HOPE

General Legal Line 1-800-777-FAIR

Texas Youth Hotline 1-800-210-2278

Crime Victim's Compensation 1-800-983-9933




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		Texas Crime Victims' Rights Rights of Crime Victims As defined in Article 56, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, a victim of a violent crime is someone who: (1) has suffered bodily injury or death as a result of criminally injurious conduct, or who has been the victim of a crime involving sexual assault, kidnapping, or aggravated robbery; (2) is the close relative (spouse, parent, brother, sister, or adult child) of a victim; or (3) is the guardian of a victim. As a victim of violent crime, you have the following rights: 1. The right to protection from threats of harm arising from cooperation with prosecution efforts. 2. The right to have your safety and that of your family taken into consideration when bail is being considered. 3. If you so request, the right to be informed in advance about court proceedings, including cancellations or rescheduling. 4. If you so request, the right to information about procedures in the criminal investigation of your case by law enforcement officials, and about general procedures in the criminal justice system, including plea bargaining, restitution, appeals, and parole, from the prosecutor's office. 5. The right to receive information about the Texas Crime Victims' Compensation Fund that provides financial assistance to victims of violent crimes and, if you so request, referral to available social service agencies that may provide additional help. 6. The right to provide information to a probation department conducting a pre-sentence investigation on the impact of the crime. 7. The right to have a law enforcement agency pay for medical examinations for victims of sexual assault and, on request, the right to counseling regarding AIDS and HIV infection and testing for sexual assault victims. 8. If you so request, the right to be notified of parole proceedings by the Victim Services Section of the Pardons and Paroles Division, the right to participate in the parole process by submitting a victim impact statement or other information, and the right to be notified of the inmate's release. 9. The right to be present at all public court proceedings, if the presiding judge permits. 10. The right to a safe waiting area before and during court proceedings. 11. The right to prompt return of any property that is no longer required as evidence. 12. If you so request, the right to have the prosecutor notify your employer that the need for your testimony may involve your absence from work. 13. The right to complete a Victim Impact Statement, detailing the emotional, physical and financial impact that the crime has had on you and your family, and to have that statement considered by the judge at sentencing and by the parole board prior to taking any parole action. Crime Victim's Compensation Code of Criminal Procedure, Texas Crime Victims' Compensation Act, Chapter 56, Subchapter B Purpose: To compensate residents of the United States who suffer personal injury or death as the result of a violent crime, including DWI, Stalking, Failure to Stop and Render Aid, and certain other vehicular crimes. Administered by: The Office of the Attorney General, Crime Victims' Compensation Division, Austin, Texas. Crime Victims' Compensation may be available to pay the amount of expense reasonably and necessarily incurred for: (i) Medical, counseling, prescription and rehabilitative services; (ii) Partial loss of earnings because of a disability resulting from personal injury, participation in the criminal justice process, or seeking medical treatment; (iii) Child care for minor children to enable a victim or spouse of a deceased victim to continue employment; (iv) Certain funeral and burial expenses; (v) Reasonable costs associated with crime scene cleanup; (vi) Reasonable replacement costs for clothing or bedding taken as evidence or made unusable as a result of the criminal investigation of a sexual assault; (vii)Travel expenses necessary to participate in the criminal justice process and/or seek medical treatment; (vii) One-time payment of certain relocation expenses in domestic violence cases; Reimbursement for property damage or loss is not an eligible expense. In order to qualify for Crime Victims' Compensation: 1. The crime must be reported to law enforcement within a reasonable amount of time unless there are justified extraordinary circumstances. 2. Claim must be filed within three years unless good cause can be shown as to why the claim wasn't filed. 3. The victim must cooperate with law enforcement and prosecution efforts. 4. The victim must be the innocent victim of a violent crime who suffers personal injury. The Victim Assistance Program of the Mansfield Police Department will assist you in applying for benefits from Crime Victims' Compensation. Upon request, we will provide you with the claim form, will send the claim form and required documentation to CVC, and notify service providers that a claim has been applied for and is pending. Please allow us assist you in obtaining these benefits if you feel you may qualify. For more information on Crime Victim's Compensation, http://www.oag.state.tx.us/victims/cvc.htm. The Texas Office of the Attorney General's Crime Victim's Compensation phone number is 1-800-983-9933. Helpful Phone Numbers Local Resource List: Tarrant County District Attorney, Victim Assistance (817) 884-2740 Tarrant County Probation, Victim Assistance (817) 884-1468 Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice Victims' Services 1-800-848-4284 24 Hour Numbers: The Women's Shelter (24 hours) (817) 460-5566 Rape Crisis & Victim Services (24 hours) (817) 927-2737 Crisis Intervention (24 hours) (817) 927-5544 Tarrant County Mental Health/ Mental Retardation (24 hours) (817) 335-3022 Some of the local agencies that provide services to victims: The Women's Shelter Resource Center (817) 548-0583 Family Service (counseling) (817) 277-1337 The Women's Center (817) 548-1663 West Texas Legal Services (817) 336-3943 District Attorney, Protective Order Unit (817) 884-1623 Children First Counseling Center (972) 264-0604 Crime Scene Cleanup of Texas (817) 429-2882 The Bridge Emergency Youth Shelter (817) 335-4673 Texas Resources : Texas Crime Victims' Clearinghouse 1-800-252-3423 Family Violence Legal Line 1-800-374-HOPE General Legal Line 1-800-777-FAIR Texas Youth Hotline 1-800-210-2278 Crime Victim's Compensation 1-800-983-9933