Office of Victims’ Services
Attorney General Bill Lockyer established the Office of Victims’ Services in the California Department of Justice upon taking office in 1999.
The work of the Office of Victims’ Services reflects the Attorney General’s compassion and belief that the department should be of service to Californians who are victims of crime.
Since its creation, the Office of Victims’ Services has worked to improve the coordination of assistance and outreach programs for crime victims.
The director of the Office of Victims’ Services is Jonathan Raven, a former deputy district attorney in Yolo County who for eight years prosecuted a variety of cases that included child sexual assault, rape and murder. Raven brings a passion for helping crime victims, explaining that “we can’t make it the way it was before the crime, but we can help heal the deep emotional wounds for the victims.”
Through the Office of Victims’ Services, crime victims and the family of murdered victims now are able to track the status of criminal cases and appeals. These updates allow victims and family survivors to exercise their rights to testify or otherwise participate in parole, clemency and execution proceedings.
Taking advantage of important law enforcement and community networks, the Office of Victims’ Services spearheaded the first local Amber Alert Program designed for quick mobilization to rescue children who are abducted from home and their neighborhoods. The first local program was launched working with the sheriff of Orange County. The program later was expanded to seven Sacramento-area counties. The Amber Alert Program has since gone statewide with notable success in rescuing abducted children.
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Victims Needing
Information
Call Toll-free
1-877-433-9069
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Save The Date
April 18-24 - Crime Victims Week
Join in various observances of Crime Victims Week
April 20 - March on the State Capitol
Crime victims rally in Sacramento.
April 21 - Annual Crime Victims Conference sponsored by the Attorney General's Office of Victims Services
Featured speakers include Attorney General Lockyer; Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona and Lt. Christine Murray, who will discuss the Runnion case; Jeanne Adams, a national expert on ritual abuse; and Dan Levey, national president of Parents of Murdered Children who as a special advisor to the Arizona governor is working from within to change the system to help crime victims. See AGENDA. TO REGISTER, e-mail contact information to victimservices@doj.ca.gov .
August 22-27 - 30th Annual Conference of the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) hosted by Attorney General Lockyer
This is the first time the nationally recognized group advancing victims' rights and services will be convening in Sacramento. Over 125 workshops will be offered at the Sacramento Convention Center. As many as 3,000 participants ranging from crime victims to law enforcement to victim/witness advocates from across North America are expected to attend. For more information, see NOVA.
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