Victim Witness Services

Victim services in Franklin County are geared toward making the entire juvenile justice process more understandable and less stressful for the victims and witnesses of juvenile crime. To this end, the victim service coordinator is the advocate and guide for victims and witnesses through the Juvenile Justice System.

Guided by the Pennsylvania Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights, the victim service coordinator gathers restitution information and passes it along to juvenile probation officers and the Court; answers any questions victims and witnesses may have about Court processes and procedures; accompanies victims and witnesses to Court hearings; and provides notification of the outcomes of all phases of the juvenile court process. The victim service coordinator is the liaison between victims and witnesses, Juvenile Probation, and the Court. 

Services Include

• Accompaniment to court
• Orientation to the Juvenile Justice System
• Court preparation
• Advocacy
• Notification of all phases of the case
• Assistance with completing Victim’s Assistance Compensation Program (VCAP) forms
• Assistance with preparing a victim impact statement