Crime Victim Rights

The Michigan Constitution and the Crime Victim Rights Act (PDF) grants crime victims the following rights:

• Be treated with fairness and respect for their dignity and privacy;
• Be informed of the steps in the criminal justice process;
• Be notified of all proceedings in the case; and
• Attend all court proceedings.

Victim Advocates

Victim Advocates provide comprehensive services to assist victims through the criminal justice system.

Services include court accompaniment, court notification, preparing victims for testimony, crisis intervention, providing emotional support, ensuring victims understand the criminal justice system and their rights under the Crime Victim Rights Act. They also connect victims to community resources and referrals.

Advocates assist victims with filing Crime Victim Compensation claims and Michigan Crime Victim Notification registration.

Address Confidentiality Program Act

The Department of Attorney General is excited to be part of this important new program. Now that the bill has been signed into law, we are beginning to meet with stakeholders from across state government to create an online system that survivors can use to register with our office.

We’re still in the early planning stages but we anticipate that it may take awhile to create a system that meets the requirements of the law and can be easily accessed by the people who need it the most.

Though the law provides the Attorney General with two years to implement the system, we will be working as quickly as we can because we recognize the importance of the critical protections that this law provides.

Throughout our development, we will also strive to keep the public updated on our progress by posting updates on our website so please check back periodically to see how we’re doing.

Walk Me Through The Legal Process

1. Report the crime to law enforcement. If you don't report the crime, you cannot exercise your rights. No investigation will occur. No one will be arrested and tried in court.

2. Law enforcement investigates the crime. They may interview witnesses, take photographs of the crime scene, look for fingerprints, etc.

3. Warrant request. If law enforcement thinks their investigation has gathered enough evidence, they will submit a warrant request to the prosecutor with suggested criminal charges. The prosecutor may ask law enforcement to do further investigation. If there is sufficient evidence, the prosecutor may authorize an arrest warrant.

4. Arrest. Law enforcement takes the suspect into custody and lodges them in the county jail.

Types Of Crime

Types Of Crime

What Is Crime Victim Compensation

Crime Victim Compensation

Crime victim compensation may help crime victims, who sustained a personal physical injury, and their immediate families with the financial costs of crime.

Crime victim compensation may pay some of the costs incurred as the result of a person being injured or killed during a crime.

Crime victim compensation does not pay for stolen or damaged property.

Crime victim compensation does not reimburse costs paid by medical insurance, auto insurance, homeowner's insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, worker's compensation, veteran's benefits, social security benefits, or any other source.

Crime Victim Financial Assistance

Up to $25,000 total in eligible costs, including:

Up to $350 for each week of lost earnings or support;

Do I Qualify For Crime Victim Compensation?

The law requires that:

You must have suffered a physical injury due to a crime, or you incurred funeral expenses;

Frequently Asked Questions

• Someone who suffers direct or threatened physical, financial, or emotional harm as a result of the commission of a crime;
• If the victim is deceased, then that person's spouse, adult child, parent, guardian, sibling, or grandparent - in that order - is considered to be a victim;
• If the victim is under age 18, then the victim's parent, guardian, or custodian may exercise the child victim's rights; and
• If a victim is mentally or emotionally unable to participate in the legal process, then his or her parent, guardian or custodian may exercise their rights on their behalf.

If a criminal has several victims but is only convicted of the crime against one or some of the victims, the other victims will need to talk with the prosecutor to see if they may qualify for restitution.

In addition, if businesses and governmental agencies suffer direct physical or financial harm as the result of a crime, they may qualify as victims deserving restitution.

When a person is arrested, they have to be brought in front of a judge within 48 hours (72 hours on a week-end) for an arraignment, at which time the judge will most likely release the person on bond. If the arrested person is considered too dangerous to release, the judge can keep the person in jail. After sentencing, if a defendant is incarcerated in either the local jail or a state prison facility, you have the right to ask the Sheriff (jail) for a calculation of the earliest release date, or the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) for a calculation of the earliest possible parole eligibility date. You will need to contact the Sheriff's office or the MDOC to receive this information. You may contact the MDOC by calling Crime Victim Services at 517-373-4467 (toll-free 877-866-5401).

Michigan has an automated Michigan Crime Victim Notification Network (MCVNN). MCVNN is free, confidential, and provides 24 hour access to offender custody or case information; the ability to verify an offender's custody status; and automatic notification to registered victims and concerned citizens of a change in offender custody or case status. If the prisoner is under the jurisdiction of the Michigan Department of Corrections, MCVNN will contact you by telephone. If you are asking for notice on county jail inmates or court hearings, you will receive notice by telephone, email, or by text message. Telephone - MCVNN will call you with a recorded alert, and will continue to call at a pre-determined frequency until you enter your four-digit Personal Identification Number. Email - If you sign up for email, you will receive only one message, which will include instructions on how to proceed. You will need to add the following email address to your email address book or white-list to prevent VINE email notifications from being blocked by a spam filter. Text message - You will receive only one message. You are responsible to pay any standard text messaging rates that applies to your text message service. Note: MCVNN covers most, but not all counties. Ask your victim advocate if MCVNN is appropriate for your county.

What notifications will I receive if I register with the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) as a crime victim?

• The prisoner's earliest parole eligibility date;
• The transfer of the prisoner to a minimum security facility and the address of that facility;
• Prisoner Placement in Special Alternative Incarceration (SAI), or boot camp;
• Prior to placing a prisoner in SAI, the MDOC must send notification to the sentencing judge to ensure the judge does not have any objections, unless the judge has already approved placement at the time of sentencing. A copy of this notification will be provided to the victim;
• Movement to and from SAI;
• Escape of the prisoner. In the event of an escape, victims will be notified by telephone within one hour of the escape by the Michigan Crime Victim Notification Network (MCVNN). This will be an automated call and will require the victim to enter a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to confirm they have received the notification and to discontinue the call. Following the generated call, the victim will also receive written notification from Crime Victim Services. To ensure proper notification it is very important that victims inform Crime Victim Services of any changes in addresses and/or telephone numbers;
• Notice of an upcoming parole board hearing. The victim has the right to provide a written, telephone or in-person statement for consideration by the parole board members. Co-victims or other concerned citizens may provide a written statement;
• Notice of the parole board decision within 14 days of the decision;
• Notice of a public hearing regarding a reprieve, commutation or pardon of the prisoner's sentence by the Governor, or a public hearing scheduled for a prisoner serving a life sentence where the parole board has voted to consider parole. In addition, a notice will be sent if a reprieve, commutation or pardon is granted;
• Discharge release of the prisoner. This notice will be sent 90 days before the prisoner is discharged on his or her maximum sentence or when released by court order;
• Prisoner's Legal Name Change;
• New Conviction(s) of the prisoner/parolee; and
• Parole Violation. Notice that a prisoner has been returned from parole status to a correctional facility due to an alleged violation of the conditions of his or her parole.

What notifications am I eligible to receive if I register with MDOC as a concerned citizen, not as a victim?

You will receive the same notifications a victim receives. When you are notified that the prisoner is going to be considered for parole, you may submit your concerns in a written statement, which will be factored into the Board's decision to grant or deny parole.