Victim Services

As a crime victim in Oregon, your right to justice includes the right to a meaningful role in the juvenile justice process, to be treated with dignity and respect, to fair and impartial treatment and to reasonable protection from the youth offender or alleged youth offender.

Crime victims’ rights in the juvenile justice system apply to the victim of an offense as well as to the parent or legal guardian of a minor victim.

Many victims’ rights are automatic although you may need to inform the Juvenile Department or District Attorney’s Office that you want to receive them. Other rights must be requested.

Examples of automatic rights are:

• To attend open court proceedings.

• To have a support person with you.

• To restitution for your crime-related costs. You must provide documentation of your loss to the court.

• To get a copy of a transcript or recording of open court proceedings if one is already made. You may be charged for the transcript or recording.

• To have your personal identifiers protected from a youth offender or alleged youth offender. These include your phone number, address, social security number, date of birth, bank account and credit card account numbers.

• To refuse to speak to an attorney or private investigator for the youth offender or alleged youth offender.

Examples of requested rights are:

• To be notified in advance of any hearing held in open court.

• To get certain criminal history about the youth offender or alleged youth offender.

• To be consulted about any plea offer made by the State in a violent felony case.

• To be heard at a detention, shelter, or disposition (sentencing) hearing.

Many other rights may apply to your case. For more information, please see the Oregon Department of Justice Victim Rights.

We attempt to contact all identified victims by phone or in writing. Because the confidentiality laws are very strict for juveniles, we may not be able to share as much information as you would like. We will do our best to inform you as much as the law allows.

You also have the right to tell us what your safety concerns are, what the harm to you or your family has been, and what you would like to see happen. We will share this information with the Juvenile Counselor supervising the youth. In court cases we will share the information with the Deputy District Attorney.

No. In fact, most cases do not go to court. Victim Services will notify you if your case does go to court and you’ve requested to be notified of hearings.

Victims have the legal right to attend all hearings held in open court but are not required to unless you receive a subpoena which orders you to do so. Attending hearings is often the most effective way to stay as informed as possible about the case and the how youth is doing.

Please notify Victim Services as soon as possible to report the unwanted contact. It is helpful to have the details of the unwanted contact such as who, when, where, what happened, etc. The information you report will be shared with the youth’s assigned Juvenile Counselor and/or the District Attorney’s Office. If you or your child feel threatened, contact your local law enforcement agency first, then Victim Services.

You can request that the youth pay you back for certain expenses if they were directly caused by the incident in the police report. When you send in your restitution request, please include copies of receipts or other documentation if possible.

Typically, youth who are required to pay restitution do so by making monthly payments.

Restitution deadlines and rules in juvenile cases are different than in adult cases. Please contact us if you need help with your request or documentation.

The Juvenile Department partners with the Beaverton Center for Mediation and Dialogue to offer Restorative Dialogue for eligible cases. Restorative Dialogue provides victims and youth an opportunity to meet face to face in a safe space and with trained facilitators. Victims can share the impact of the offense, ask the youth questions, and have a voice in determining how the youth might be held accountable. Restorative Dialogue is a voluntary program. For more information, please contact Victim Services.

No, but your situation may allow you to apply for a “stalking order” against a juvenile.

More information:

Protective Orders

Stalking Protection Orders

Family Justice Center of Washington County