VICTIM AND WITNESS
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
VICTIM / WITNESS ASSISTANCE INFORMATION DIRECTORY
Contact the Eastern District of Oklahoma Victim-Witness
Assistance Unit at:
-
From within the local (Muskogee) area: (918) 684-5100 Extension
5169
- From outside the local area - call Toll Free: (800) 659-7913 Extension
5169
The Victim and Witness Assistance Program for the
Eastern District of Oklahoma seeks to assist citizens of the district
that are victims of and/or witnesses to federal crimes, and to encourage
their participation in the criminal justice system in accordance
with federal law.
Federal crimes where assistance can be provided include bank and
postal robberies, child pornography, financial crimes (such as telemarketing
and investment fraud), identity theft, hate crimes, or other crimes
(such as homicide, sexual assaults, or child abuse) that occur on
federal or Native American lands.
Where appropriate, the Victim and Witness Assistance Unit of the
United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
will provide assistance to citizens of the district by:
- Helping with crisis intervention and support
services
- Providing information regarding sources of
assistance for grief counseling, loss or victim support groups,
community outreach programs or similar support agencies
- Making referrals to appropriate community agencies
and programs
- Explaining the criminal justice process, its
ramifications, and its requirements
- Providing information regarding a victim's
rights and their role in the federal criminal justice process
- Acting as the victim's liaison with investigative
agencies, the U.S. Probation Department, the U.S. Bureau of
Prisons, and the assigned federal prosecutor
- Assisting the victim to complete a comprehensive
Victim Impact Statement for the Court
- Accompanying victims to trials and sentencings
(upon request)
- Providing information about the status of a
victim's case within the criminal justice process
- Providing information on application requirements
to request victim compensation
- Arranging for the victim's right to speak before
the court at sentencing hearings (where permitted)
- Providing information about the financial restitution
process once restitution has been ordered by the Court
- Acting as the victim's advocate regarding the
return of property used as evidence
- Helping victims register with the U.S. Bureau
of Prisons to obtain notice regarding an inmate's transfer,
release, or parole hearings
- Providing crime prevention tips
Many laws have been established to ensure that innocent victims of crimes have their rights upheld, their dignity and privacy respected, and are treated with fairness. Just a few of the legislative efforts toward this end include:
- The Victim and Witness Protection Act of 1982
- The Crime Control Act of 1990
- The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994
- The Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, and
- The Victim Rights Clarification Act of 1997