(209) 728-2873 cahvadvocate@yahoo.com

Important Links

CA Victim’s Bill of Rights Act of 2008: Marsy’s Law

Find Out the Status of Your Offender After Conviction:
1. National Victim Notification Network

A. This service allows crime victims to obtain timely and reliable information about criminal cases and the custody status of offenders 24 hours a day. Victims and other concerned citizens can also register to be notified by phone, e-mail, or TTY device when an offender’s custody status changes.
www.vinelink.com

B. This document contains information about victim’s rights, services, criminal and juvenile justice for all 50 states.
www.vinelink.com/docs/VictimResources.pdf

C. All states may give victims the right to be notified of any or all of the following:

  • Escape
  • Recapture
  • Earliest possible release date
  • Transfer to another prison
  • Change in security status
  • Transfer to a mental institution
  • Death of the offender in prison
  • Post-conviction DNA testing
  • Parole application
  • Parole hearing
  • Parole release
  • Release upon completion of sentence
  • Pardon/clemency application
  • Pardon/clemency hearing
  • Pardon/clemency release

www.vinelink.com/docs/WhentheOffenderisBehindBars.pdf

2. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
A. Office of Victim and Survivor Rights and Services – Lifer parole process, request for adult offender information, etc.
http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Victim_Services/index.html

B. Parole Hearing Schedule – For lifers by month.
http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Divisions_Boards/BOPH/hearing_schedule.html

C. Victims Can Request a Copy of Parole Hearing Transcripts.
www.cdcr.ca.gov/Divisions_Boards/BOPH/psh_transcript.html

D. Request For Victim Services and Restitution Collection – CDCR form 1707. Includes notification of release request, request for special conditions of parole, request for restitution collection.
www.cdcr.ca.gov/Victim_Services/docs/victim_form.pdf

E. How Do I Request Compensation for Travel Costs to a Parole Hearing? As of May 2010, OVSRS has funds available through a federal grant, which allows for reimbursement – up to $100 – to a limited number of victims for costs associated with travel to parole hearings. For information on how to apply for travel reimbursement, please contact OVSRS at (877) 256-6877.

3. California Office of Attorney General – Victim Services
Includes FAQ’s, resources, victim notification, victim rights including those regarding parole hearings.
http://ag.ca.gov/victimservices/resources.php

A Victim’s Guide to the California Parole Hearing Process – by the Crime Victims Assistance Network Foundation

Table of Contents

  1. What is a parole hearing?
  2. Where is the parole hearing held?
  3. When is the parole hearing held?
  4. Who goes to the parole hearing?
  5. What happens if I want to attend the parole hearing?
  6. What if I don’t want to attend the hearing?
  7. How do I prepare for the parole hearing?
  8. The decision if the inmate is denied or granted parole.
  9. A guide to preparing your impact statement.
  10. Resources.

http://www.ican-foundation.org/resources/publications

CONTACT YOUR STATE’S PAROLE BOARD

To find your state’s “Parole Board” and “Department of Corrections”, use these search words and the name of your state in your search engine.

Victim Compensation and Restitution Recovery:

1. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Request for Victim Services and Restitution Collection – CDCR form 1707. Includes notification of release request, request for special conditions of parole, request for restitution collection.
www.cdcr.ca.gov/Victim_Services/docs/victim_form.pdf

2. California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board
This resource can help pay bills and expenses to those injured or threatened with physical injury in a violent crime, such as:

  • Medical and dental treatment
  • Mental health services
  • Income loss
  • Funeral and burial expenses
  • Loss of support, for dependents when a victim is killed or disabled because of a crime
  • Job retraining
  • Home and vehicle modifications
  • Home security
  • Relocation
  • Insurance co-payments
  • Crime scene cleanup
  • Medically necessary equipment such as a wheelchair
  • Childcare services, when a caregiver is killed or disabled because of a crime

The fund receives 100% of its revenue from restitution fines, diversion fees, restitution orders, and penalties paid by offenders convicted of crimes.
www.vcgcb.ca.gov/

Video overview of services provided:
http://www.vcgcb.ca.gov/resources/video.aspx

3. Were You the Victim of a Crime and the California Court Ordered You Restitution?
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation may have collected money for you. Contact the Office of Victim and Survivor Rights and Services to inquire if you have unclaimed money from a direct order of restitution. To update your address or to obtain additional information, call us toll free at 1-877-256-6877.

Spanish: Si usted fue victima de un crimen y la corte le otorgo restitucion, es posible que el Departamento de Correcciones y Rehabilitacion haya recibido dinero a su favor. Llame a la oficina de Victimas y Sobrevivientes para preguntar si usted tiene restitucion que no se haya reclamado. Para obtener mas informacion, llame gratis al 1-877-256-6877.

Non-Profit Victim Assistance:
1. VAonline.org – A portal into the offices of hundreds of organizations, agencies, institutions and private services around the globe that provide victim assistance.
http://www.vaonline.org/index.html

2. Texans For Equal Justice – You may submit requests for online parole protest campaigns in every state in the US. You may go to the website and help other survivors by sending automatic parole protest letters. On the site, click on the “Parole Protests” button.
www.texansforequaljustice.org

3. iCAN Foundation – Provides resources, referrals, information and assistance to victims of violent crime, their family and friends. iCAN provides educational presentations on a variety of subjects regarding victims of violent crime, crime prevention and risk reduction.
www.ican-foundation.org

4. Crime Victims Action Alliance – An affiliate organization to the iCAN Foundation, which works to improve and increase the rights and services to victims of violent crime. The Crime Victims Action Alliance holds those who have been entrusted to protect the public’s safety accountable for their actions and supports those who have a proven record of supporting victims rights, services and improving public’s safety. They believe that victims have been hurt enough and that we must strive to do no further harm.
www.cvactionalliance.org

5. Justice For All – Through private citizen and corporate membership exerts the social and legislative influence necessary to effect positive change in the criminal justice system.
www.jfa.net

6. MurderVictims.com – This resource provides the following:
Victims’ Voice Memorials – Survivors of murder victims can post testimony and details about their specific case.

  • List of resources where the murder remains unsolved.
  • Victim Impact Statements – Guidebooks by state, Canada and Australia, plus six sample statements.
  • Parole Protest Help – Advice for keeping your killer in prison when coming up for parole, plus guidelines for writing an effective Parole Protest Letter.

http://www.murdervictims.com

7. The National Center For Victims of Crime – Their mission is to forge a national commitment to help victims of crime rebuild their lives. They are dedicated to serving individuals, families and communities harmed by crime. This resource provides the following:

  • Direct services and resources to victims of crime across the country
  • Advocates for laws and public policies that secure rights, resources, and protections for crime victims
  • Delivers training and technical assistance to victim service organizations, counselors, attorneys, criminal justice agencies, and allied professionals serving victims of crime
  • Fosters cutting-edge thinking about the impact of crime and the ways in which each of us can help victims of crime rebuild their lives.

http://www.ncvc.org

8. National Center For Missing Adults – Operates as the national clearinghouse for missing adults, providing services and coordination between various governmental agencies, law enforcement, media, and the families of missing adults. They also maintain a national database of missing adults determined to be endangered or otherwise at risk.
www.theyaremissed.org

9. National Organization of Victims of Juvenile Lifers (NOVJL) – Support victim’s rights when violent offenders are juveniles. Proactive with public policy and legislation permitting sentencing of extremely violent juveniles to long term sentences in criminal (adult) courts.
www.jlwopvictims.org

www.teenkillers.org

10. National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) – A nationwide system to help identify the remains of missing people. The organization has two sets of information. The first is known details of missing-person cases around the nation provided by law officers and relatives of the missing. The other is a database of unknown human remains in morgues across the country; details are entered by coroners and medical examiners. It allows one-stop sleuthing for amateurs, families and police. Anyone can search and enter data they have on a missing person. Medical examiners can enter data on unidentified bodies, and anyone can search the database for potential matches.
www.namus.gov

11. Vidocq Society – Crime Solution Catalysts – Forensic professionals who donate services to help solve long-unsolved homicide or death cases. Cases must meet Vidocq’s stringent criteria and the investigating agency must seek Vidocq’s participation.
www.vidocq.org

12. Victoria Homicide Victims Support Group – A Victoria Australia support, assistance, and advocacy group for the families and friends of homicide victims. This resource provides the following:

  • Retreat housing for homicide survivors
  • Website memorials
  • Liaise with police, government and private support/welfare agencies
  • Court support and media relations
  • Compensation forms and victim impact statements

http://www.victoriahomicide.com.au/

Mass Media Help:

1. Crime Wire – Blog Talk Radio Show – Our “Partners in Crime”. CRIME WIRE Blog Talk Radio is a wonderful resource to highlight homicides, suspicious deaths and missing persons cases (where foul play is suspected). Our own Gene Cervantes is a regular Consultant for this show. Join Co-Hosts Dennis Griffin and Susan Murphy-Milano every Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. (Eastern) – 6:00 p.m. (Pacific) on Inside Lenz Network – http://www.blogtalkradio.com/insidelenz . For additional information regarding CRIME WIRE and CRIME WIRE Co-Hosts, please visit www.crimewiresite.com.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/crimewire.

NOTE: Once you are on the Crime Wire website, you’ll notice an automatic countdown until the show begins. The second the show begins, a small red ‘PLAY’ button will appear, which you click to receive the audio broadcast. Thank you.

Crime Wire has a brand new website. From this website, you can easily listen to Crime Wire Blog Talk Radio shows, answer poll questions, find information about the Consultants and Friends, read blog postings and send messages to the Crime Wire Team. We encourage you to register today, participate in the forums and comment on the cases profiled on the show or start discussion threads on other crime-related issues. The Crime Wire Store features books authored by Hosts Denny Griffin, Susan Murphy-Milano and Vito Colucci, Jr. Basic membership is free, so sign up at http://www.crimewiresite.com and get involved.

Books:

“No Room For Doubt” by Angela Dove – A compelling account of a ‘real-life’ homicide and its aftermath. Angela Dove writes about her step-mother’s brutal murder, meticulously recreating the course of the investigation and its chilling effect on those whose lives were tainted by this crime.

The heroine in this case is Jacque MacDonald, Debi Whitlock’s mother, who vowed to find her daughter’s killer. MacDonald parlayed her grief and despair over her daughter’s death into a television show, “The Victims’ Voice”, to help other California crime victim’s families cope with the pain she knew all too well. For nearly two decades MacDonald immersed herself in the overlapping worlds of crime, violence, death and grief, determined to do some good in the name of her daughter. Her efforts won her a National Crime Victims Award from the US Dept. of Justice in 2007, and in May 2009, the California Governor’s Advocacy Award.
www.noroomfordoubt.com
www.angeladove.com

“The Forgiveness Myth” by Gary Egeberg and Wayne Raiter – How to heal your hurts, move on and be happy again. When you can’t or won’t forgive.

“Forgiving is the one and only way to heal your hurts.” Most of us have learned this “fact”, this “unquestioned truth,” from our earliest years on, perhaps from our families, through our experiences in a particular religious tradition, or by what we have read or heard from spiritual teachers and psychological experts. Yet in this book, by suggestion that forgiveness is a myth, we are challenging that which has been considered true for centuries.

www.theforgivenessmyth.com
garyegeberg@msn.com
(952)836-6504

Crime Statistics:
1. The Disaster Center – Provides US crime statistics for the whole country, by state, and by community from 1960-2006.
http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/