Hotline/How to file a complaint

To file a complaint against any employee of the Department of Justice who violated or failed to provide the rights established under the Crime Victims' Rights Act of 2004, 18 U.S.C. § 3771, contact the Office of Victims’ Rights Ombudsman or telephone (202) 616-0003.

The Office for Victims of Crime's Online Directory of Crime Victim Services is searchable by location, type of victimization, agency type, or available services-24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Office for Victims of Crime Resource Center (OVCRC) is an information clearinghouse for emerging victim issues. OVCRC offers access to a criminal justice library to search for victim-related resources, information specialists to answer your questions, and products and online services such as electronic notices. OVC Resource Center phone number: 1-800-851-3420.

Help for Victims, organizations and other resources that can help victims of different types of crime.

Toll-Free Telephone Numbers to resource centers, clearinghouses, and other organizations who can assist victims.

State by State List of direct service programs and other referrals. For each state, the assistance programs are arranged by city and provide the organization's name, address, phone number, and the types of services offered to victims.

Compensation Programs
Directory of state agency crime victim compensation programs.

International Crime Victim Compensation Program Directory lists basic information on each country's program, such as eligibility requirements and how to apply for compensation.

Victim Impact Statements
Information about victim impact statements is available on the Office for Victims of Crime Web site.

Children as Victims
The Office of Justice Programs has information on many aspects of Family Violence and children as victims of violence. This site has links to proven community programs, funding, research and statistics, and conferences.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency's Missing and Exploited Children's Program promotes effective policies and procedures for addressing the problem of missing and exploited children. The program provides funds for a variety of activities to support and coordinate a network of resources such as The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; training and technical assistance to a network of state clearinghouses, nonprofit organizations, law enforcement personnel, and attorneys; and research and demonstration programs.

The Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) prosecutes offenders involving child pornography; offenders who sell, buy, or transport women and children interstate or internationally to engage in sexually explicit conduct; child sexual abusers; offenders who abuse children on federal and Indian lands; offenders who do not pay certain court ordered child support payments; offenders who transport obscene materials in interstate or foreign commerce; and international parental abductors. You can find practical information on this site, including How to Report Child Pornography on the Internet and Safety Tips for Parents and Children.

It is the mission of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Crimes Against Children (CAC) Program to provide a quick and effective response to all incidences of crimes against children. Making this a priority increases the number of victimized children safely recovered and reduces the level of crime in which children are targets. Individual FBI Field Offices serve as primary points of contact for persons requesting FBI assistance. For further information about FBI services or to request assistance, please contact a Crimes Against Children Coordinator at your local FBI Field Office.

Statistics

Crime and victims statistics are gathered and posted on the Bureau of Justice Statistics web site. They present summary findings and more detailed information on victim characteristics and characteristics of crime.

Additional Information about Helping Victims of Crime

• The National Criminal Justice Reference Service has many publications on juvenile victims, child abuse and neglect, and missing children.
• Many publications that can assist individuals and communities with crime victims' issues are available at the Office for Victims of Crime site.
• What You Can Do If You Are A Victim Of Crime. Fact sheet.
• OVC's Legal Series Bulletins Designed to be an informational resource for victims, victim advocates, victim service providers, criminal justice professionals, and policymakers, each bulletin provides a digest on issues affecting crime victims.
• Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance
• No More Victims. Know More. Ask OVC. Funding information, training and technical assistance, publications, skill-building tools, and other vital information resources to enhance victim services.
• The National Institute of Justice topic page on Victims and Victimization gives an overview of research on the subject.
• Additional publications are available through the National Criminal Justice Reference Service site.

For more information about the Department component that is most active in this area, visit the Office of Justice Programs web site.