Ottawa County Prosecuting Attorney

Victim Assistance Unit

A victim advocate is located at each of our office sites to serve you. Please feel free to call them during business hours for assistance or information about your rights as a victim of crime. You may also email victimrights@miottawa.org for assistance.

Services

• Provide victims with notice of initial charges, their rights and all court proceedings.
• Assist victims in seeking appropriate counseling or social services.
• Assist and accompany victims during trial or court proceedings (upon request).
• Provide an opportunity for victim input regarding trial decisions and any plea negotiations.
• Assist victims in presenting sentence recommendations orally or in writing.
• Assist victims in determining the amount of appropriate restitution and communicating restitution amounts to probation departments and the court.
• Assist in securing court-ordered restitution from convicted defendants.
• Assist victims in obtaining information about parole hearings and anticipated discharge dates for convicted defendants who are incarcerated.

Brochures & Forms

• Working with Victims of Child Abuse Brochure
  
• Crime Victim Compensation Brochure
  
• Crime Victim Compensation Application
  
• Collection On Your Order Of Restitution
  
• Working With Victims Of Elderly Crimes & Abuse
  
• Community Services Referral Card (English)
  
• Community Services Referral Card (Spanish)
  
• Domestic Violence Brochure (English)
  
• Domestic Violence Brochure (Spanish)
  
• Domestic Violence, Stalking and Date Rape Informational Guide
  
• Protect Your Identity
  
• Understanding Criminal Sexual Conduct
  A Handbook for Victims: Provided by Ottawa County

Links

• AARP
  AARP in Espanol at bottom right of the Home Page. Also type in "grief & loss" under Search
• About Crime Victim Compensation in Michigan of Community Health
  
• Bereaved Parents of the USA
  National self-help group, especially for the newly bereaved
• Call - 211
  Your 24 hr. link to Health & Human Services
  
• Resilience
  
• Compassion Connection
  Offers gift of compassion & concern
• The Compassionate Friends, Holland, Zeeland Chapter
  Assists families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age & provides information to help others be supportive.
• DHS - Michigan Department of Human Services
  The DHS directs the operations of public assistance and service programs through a network of over 100 county departments of human service offices around the state. If you do not have access to a computer you may call Michigan's Social Services Hotline: 211.
• The Dougy Center, The National Center for Grieving Children & Families
  Spanish Programs are also available.
• Evergreen Commons
  Support Groups & General Assistance for seniors
• Hospice of Holland - Kids Grieve Too - Teenage Grief
  
• Michigan Attorney General's Office
  Call to make a report on suspected abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation by a licensed provider or residential facility
• Michigan Department of Corrections - Offender Tracking Information System (O.T.I.S.)
  Find where a prisoner is housed, earliest release date, mug shot, etc.
• Michigan Department of Corrections
  Victim Notification & prisoner Information, Crime Victim Notification Unit
• Michigan Sex Offender Registry
  
• Mothers Against Drunk Driving Victim/Survivor Helpline
  
• National Center on Elder Abuse
  Check under Report Abuse: other helpful listings for Helplines, Hotlines, and Referral Sources in Michigan.
• National Center for Victims of Crime
  
• National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
  
• National Consumers League's Fraud Center
  
• National Council for Aging Care's guide on Elder Abuse
• National Crime Prevention Council
  
• The National Institute for Trauma & Loss In Children, Parents Trauma Resource Center
  Provides services to traumatized children & families
• National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children
  For families & friends of those who have died by violence
• National Organization for Victim Assistance
  
• National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
  
• National Sex Offender Lookup Service
  Results include a map with links to offender information
• National Sexual Violence Resource Center
  
• U.S. Department of Justice , Office of Justice Programs; Victims of Crime Resource Center
  
• United States Postal Inspection Service
  
• Us Dept. of Justice/Office For Victims of Crime