Victims Rights
Federal crime victims have the following rights under the Justice for All Act (18 U.S.C. § 3771):
- The right to be reasonably protected from the accused;
- The right to reasonable, accurate, and timely notice of any public court proceeding, or any parole proceeding, involving the crime or of any release or escape of the accused;
- The right not to be excluded from any such public court proceeding, unless the court, after receiving clear and convincing evidence, determines that testimony by the victim would be materially altered if the victim heard other testimony at that proceeding;
- The right to be reasonably heard at any public proceeding in the district court involving release, plea, sentencing, or any parole proceeding;
- The reasonable right to confer with the attorney for the Government in the case;
- receive restitution; and
- The right to full and timely restitution as provided in law;
- The right to proceedings free from unreasonable delay;
- The right to be treated with fairness and with respect for the victim's dignity and privacy.
We will make our best efforts to ensure victims are accorded these rights. Victims may seek the advice of an attorney with respect to these rights, and may file a complaint if they believe a Department of Justice employee has denied them any of these rights.
The Department of Justice has implemented procedures for crime victims to file complaints against Department of Justice employees who may have failed to provide or have violated the rights of a crime victim under the Crime Victims' Rights Act of 2004.
If you wish to file a complaint you must use the document found by clicking here.
A new internet site is available for the Office of the Victims' Rights Ombudsman at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/eousa/vr/index.html. The site contains information for victims about the Justice for All Act of 2004, Department of Justice regulations, the procedures and process for filing an administrative complaint, complaint forms (in English and Spanish), contact information for each United States Attorney's Office and Department of Justice component, and other useful links.