Victim Services

The goal of the Victim Services Unit is to provide assistance to victims of crime in the Twentieth Judicial District (Boulder County). If we cannot provide a direct service, we will work with other community agencies to make an appropriate referral. Victim Assistance Coordinators become involved in a case after the offender has either been found guilty or pled guilty to an offense in either District or County Court and is sentenced to Probation. VAC’s (Victim Assistance Coordinators) will continue to provide services for as long as the offender is on probation. We work on both adult and juvenile cases.

Prior to the sentencing of the offender, the Victim Assistance Coordinator’s are available to assist the victim(s) in preparing and distributing a Victim Impact Statement. The Victim Impact Statement gives victims the opportunity to share with the Court how this offense has impacted them and what they would like to see happen regarding sentencing. These statements can be made in Court or written by the victim or significant others. We can also meet with the victim and prepare a video taped Victim Impact Statement. Victim Impact Statements will be distributed to the Court, District Attorney’s Office and the Defense Attorney. If appropriate, we can also serve as a liason between the victim and the Community Corrections Board during the victim’s participation in the offender’s screening process for Community Corrections funding.

Upon the request of the victim, we will keep them notified regarding the status of a probation case for as long as the person is on probation. (Click here for a complete listing of the notifications given)

Beyond these two main services, Victim Assistance Coordinators are also available to assist victims with additional needs that may be unique to them such as obtaining restraining orders, child visitation and support, safety plans, restitution and restorative justice remedies.

We understand that the criminal justice system can be confusing and frustrating. We do our best to answer and address the questions and needs that victims have. The unit is coordinated by a senior probation officer with over 20 years of experience.

For more information on our current victim services, please contact Victim Assistance Coordinator Danielle Fagan by phone at 720-664-1719 (voicemail 24 hours a day) or by email at Danielle.fagan@judicial.state.co.us

Additional Victim Services Resources

The Boulder County Probation Department’s Victim Services Team is comprised of Victim Assistance Coordinators, collection investigators and restorative justice facilitators. The goal of this Unit is to provide assistance to victims of crime in the Twentieth Judicial District, (Boulder County). If the Unit cannot provide a direct service, they will collaborate with other community agencies to make an appropriate referral. After an offender has either been found guilty or pled guilty to an offense in either District or County Court and is sentenced to Probation, victims can access our services for as long as the offender is on probation, this includes both adult and juvenile cases.

Prior to the sentencing of the offender, the Victim Services team is available to assist the victim (s) in preparing and distributing a Victim Impact Statement. The Victim Impact Statement gives victims the opportunity to share with the Court how this offense has impacted them and what they would like to see happen regarding sentencing. Statements can be made in Court or written by the victim or significant others. VAC’s are available to meet with the victim in person or by phone to assist in this process. They can also meet with the victim and prepare a video taped Victim Impact Statement. These statements will be distributed to the Court, District Attorney’s Office and the Defense Attorney. If appropriate, Victim Assistance Coordinator's can also serve as a liaison between the victim and the Community Corrections Board during the victim’s participation in the offender’s screening process for Community Corrections.

Upon the request of the victim, Victim Assistance Coordinator’s will keep them notified regarding the status of a probation case for as long as the person is on probation.   Please click here for a complete listing of the notifications given.

Beyond these services, Victim Assistance Coordinator’s are also available to assist victims with services that may include but are not limited to restraining orders, child support and visitation, safety plans, restitution and restorative justice remedies.

The criminal justice system can be confusing and frustrating. Victim Assistance Coordinator’s do their best to answer and address the questions and needs of the victim. For more information on our current Victim Services Team, contact VAC Danielle Fagan by phone at 720-664-1719 (danielle.fagan@judicial.state.co.us)

SHELTERS

Safe Shelter of St Vrain Valley, Crisis Line 303-772-4422 (Longmont) safeshelterofstvrain.org

Safehouse for Progressive Alliance for Non Violence 303-444-2424 (Boulder) www.safehousealliance.org

Women in Crisis, Crisis Line 303-420-6752 (Arvada) www.thefamilytree.org

SafeHouse Denver, Crisis Line 303-318-9989 www.safehouse-denver.org

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES

Boulder County District Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Program: www.co.boulder.co.us/da/victim_witness/victimwitness.htm

Child Abuse Hotline 303-441-1240

MESA/Rape Crisis Team 24 hr Hotline 303-443-7300

www.movingtoendsexualassault.org

Emergency Family Assistance Association 303-442-3042 (food, shelter, financial assistance, rent, utilities)

www.efaa.org

Boulder County Mental Health 24 hr Emergency Services 303-447-1665

www.mhcbc.org

LEVI- Longmont Ending Violence Initiative 303-774-4534 www.longmontdomesticviolence.org/resources/safeshelterofstvrain.

“To Have Justice in our Community, we need Community in our Justice.“

The Community Restorative Justice Partnership of Boulder County (CRJP) is a non profit organization serving Boulder County since September, 2001. It is a collaborative effort between the Probation Department, District Attorney’s Office, Community Corrections, Sheriff’s Office and the Courts. Panels, which consist of volunteer community members, meet with the adult or juvenile offender, victim(s) and community to discuss the effect of the offense on all parties involved. The major goal of this process is to give all parties an equal voice in identifying the harm, assist the offender to understand and repair the harm caused by the offense and to bring together the victim, offender and community in a process of identifying and making recommendations to repair harm.

Reparative panel members volunteer for a minimum of one year. Currently we have eighteen volunteers forming three separate panels who are professionally trained to facilitate positive, constructive dialogue in a safe, neutral environment. Panels meet on the second Wednesday and first and third Thursday of each month. The process will focus on the incident from the perspective of the offender, the victim and the community. It then moves to discussion, from a strengths based approach on how the offender can repair the harm. Once this is identified, a contract, agreed upon collaboratively, is prepared and signed by all parties. The panel, over a series of subsequent meetings, will then monitor the progress made by the offender toward fulfilling the contract.

The process will focus on harm repair at a number of levels, some of which will include the following:

• Victim Restoration: Payment of restitution, repairing physical damage to victims property, face to face apology.
• Offender Reparation: Participation in victim empathy class, victim impact panels, police ride along, other creative opportunities to assist offender with understanding and repairing harm.
• Community Restoration: Meaningful community service work in an individual or group setting, assisting on special community projects, participating in programs intended to enhance services to the community.

Clients are referred to CRJP by the Courts, District Attorney’s Office, Probation and Private Attorneys. Clients are then screened based on the nature of the incident to determine if they are appropriate for the RJ process. Being accountable and taking responsibility for their actions is a key component in making this determination. Special panels will also consider “High Risk Dialogue” and “High Profile” cases for the RJ process.

For more information on our Restorative Justice program or if you wish to become a volunteer community member please contact Danielle Fagan at 720-664-1719 or E-Mail danielle.fagan@judicial.state.co.us