Crime Victims

Was your money or property stolen? Were you hurt or stalked? Maybe your identity was taken? If so, you are a crime victim. If an arrest was made and the police told you that the case is going to court, you may have questions about the criminal case. A criminal case is not the same as a civil case. In a civil case, you start a court case for money or damages against the person who injured you. But, in a criminal case, you can’t bring criminal charges against the person that injured you. You go to the police and the police bring the criminal charges. Criminal cases are handled by a lawyer from the District Attorney’s Office on behalf of the People of the State of New York. The lawyer is called a prosecutor. As a crime victim you are not a party and you do not need to hire an attorney. What you have to say about what happened is part of the prosecutor’s case against the defendant. But, you do have certain rights in the case. If you are a crime victim, an immediate family member of a person who was killed, or an immediate family member or guardian of a child crime victim, this section is for you.

Crime Victim Rights During the Criminal Case
Learn about your right to know what is going on in the case, your right to be protected and to have a say at sentencing or parole.

Restitution
Find out how to ask the court to order the person who committed the crime to pay you back for losses that happened because of the crime.

Crime Victim Compensation
Learn about other ways besides restitution to get money for your losses and expenses that happened because of the crime.

Victim Impact Statement
A crime victim can tell the court how he or she was affected by the crime at sentencing and parole with a Victim Impact Statement.

Sex Offender Registry
Find information about the New York State Sex Offender Registry that convicted of sex offenses must register with.

Criminal Domestic Violence Cases
Get an overview of how an order of protection is issued in a criminal court.

Child Sex Abuse Cases
Read about the Child Victims Act and how much time there is to start cases against the abuser and liable third parties.