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Crime Victims’ Rights

Victim Rights’ Compliance

Federal

The Crime Victims’ Rights Act requires that within 1 year from the date of the Act’s enactment, the Attorney General designate an administrative authority within the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to receive and investigate complaints relating to the provision or violation of crime victims’ rights by DOJ employees. In response, the DOJ established the Office of the Victims’ Rights Ombudsman. If a crime victim believes that a DOJ employee violated or failed to provide him/her with one or more of his/her rights, he/she may file a complaint. A crime victim includes any person who has been directly and proximately harmed as a result of the commission of a Federal offense or an offense in the District of Columbia.

Additional guidance regarding crime victims’ rights and remedies is available in the Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance. The most recent edition incorporates the CVRA and guidance on the unique challenges of assisting victims of human trafficking and identity theft.

State

Additionally, some states have offices to which victims’ rights violations can be reported. These have been identified in the U.S. Resource Map. Visit now!