Victim Resources

NCVLI works to ensure that victims of crime are informed of their rights and can find resources to enforce their rights. We provide general information on our website about the rights of crime victims and also provide referral information to other agencies that may be able to provide direct assistance. NCVLI does not, however, provide legal advice to victims, cannot conduct research on individual victim’s cases, and cannot serve as an individual victim’s attorney.  

FAQs

Here are some questions victims frequently ask NCVLI about victims’ rights and the criminal justice system.

Resource Map

NCVLI’s Victim Resource Map is a tool for victims with links to organizations that provide aid, information, and support directly to victims of crime.  Searchable by crime type or location, the map contains links to valuable national and state programs.  Many of these organizations can help victims find local county and city services.  In an effort to empower victims, the map provides a clear path to direct help and services such as crisis intervention, emergency housing, financial compensation, counseling, and legal advocacy.

Victim Law Library

NCVLI’s Victim Law Library contains victims’ rights laws, organized by jurisdiction, and legal publications about crime victims’ rights. The primary intended audience of the materials in the Law Library legal are attorneys, as the writing is law and citation-heavy. The resources in the Law Library include Bulletins, which provide in-depth analysis of topics victims’ rights topics and offer practice tips, as well as Surveys, which focus on one topic and collect the law from across the country into one document.

Legal Resource Referral

NCVLI maintains a list of attorneys and advocates specializing in the area of victims’ rights assertion in criminal court proceedings. If, after reviewing NCVLI’s resource map and victim law library, you feel you need the assistance of one of these specialized victims’ rights professionals to help with protecting your rights in an active criminal case, please click here to submit on online referral request. NCVLI will review the information you submit and do our best to locate legal referrals in your area. While NCVLI understands that you may have many other legal issues, NCVLI does not provide specific legal referrals on family law issues (such as child custody and divorce) or civil law suits (such as suing your offender for damages). For these types of legal issues you may wish to try your local legal aid office for family law issues or the local bar association lawyer referral service or The National Crime Victim Bar Association for civil suits. Click here to see NCVLI’s suggestions for finding a civil attorney.