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Thursday, November 09, 2023

Victim Witness Services

Victim Advocate Role
The goal of a Victim Advocate is to help victims prevail over the trauma of their victimization by assisting and advocating for safety, healing, justice, and restitution. It has been proven that victims heal faster & move on with their lives quicker when they receive assistance & support from trained advocates & have a voice in the judicial system. The advocate provides support, resources, and an understanding of the process of victimization & trauma recovery. If you or a member of your family have been the victim of a crime, you could be eligible to receive notification of the criminal proceedings.

Notification of Victim Rights
As a victim, you have the right to be notified of information concerning the case. In order to receive this information, or opt out of receiving information, you will be required to come into the Prosecutor’s Office and complete the Ohio Victim Rights Request Form. If, as a victim, you are unable to receive notification, you may authorize a representative to be notified on your behalf.

As a victim, you are automatically entitled to:

  • Be informed of your rights.
  • Be treated with fairness and respect for your safety, dignity, and privacy.
  • Reasonable protection from the accused or any person acting on behalf of the accused.
  • Receive information about the status of the case.
  • Refuse a defense interview, deposition, or other discovery request, unless ordered by the court.
  • Object to defense requests for access to your confidential information, including medical, counseling, school, or reemployment records, access to your personal devices, online accounts, or other personal information.
  • Be present at all public proceedings.
  • Have a support person with you during proceedings.
  • Tell the court your opinion in public proceedings involving release, plea, sentencing, disposition, parole, and any other hearing that involves your rights.
  • Object to unreasonable delays.
  • Full and timely restitution from the offender.

Additional rights you must request in order to exercise.

  • Receive notice of the arrest, escape, or release of the offender.
  • Reasonable and timely notice of all public court proceedings.
  • Confer with the prosecutor assigned to the case.
  • Be notified of subpoenas, motions, or other requests to access any of my personal information.
  • Appoint a Victim’s Representative.

You may change these rights at any time by completing a new Victim’s Right Request Form in person at the Butler County’s Prosecutor’s office.

Felony Division Victim Advocates
Sandy (Victim Witness Division Manager)
Brooke (Child/Sexual Assault & Adult Felony)
Amanda (Adult Felony, Crimes Against the Elderly & White Collar)
Rachel (Adult Felony)
Beth (Non Support)

Juvenile Division Victim Advocates
Stephanie (Juvenile Division Victim Advocate)
Kelli (Juvenile Division Victim Advocate)

Discrimination Policy
The Butler County Prosecutor’s Office and its Crime Victims Services Unit do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or age in the delivery of services or in employment practices. Such nondiscriminatory conduct of the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office and its Crime Victims Services Unit also extends to any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance and to employment under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Persons who feel they have been discriminated against may participate in applicable complaint procedures by notifying Jean Alder, Compliance Coordinator of the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office, 315 High Street, 11th Floor, Hamilton, OH 45011, in writing, while also sending a copy to Michael T. Gmoser, the Prosecuting Attorney, and Dan Ferguson, the Chief of the Civil Division. The complaint claiming discrimination shall include the complainant’s name, contact information, and a brief explanation of the alleged discrimination. The Compliance Coordinator shall accept and acknowledge all discrimination complaints by email or in a letter confirming that the complaint has been received. The contents of the acknowledgement must include information specifying that the complaint has been forwarded to the appropriate agency and providing information by which the complainant can contact that agency directly. The Compliance Coordinator shall then forward the complaint to the appropriate agency, which shall conduct the investigation into the complaint. These procedures shall be available at any time on the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office website.

Any complainant may choose to file a complaint directly with the appropriate agency instead of filing with the Compliance Coordinator, as follows:
Crime Victim Services at 150 E. Gay St., 25th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215 or 1-800-582-2877.

U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20530-0001, 1-855-856-1247 or online at www.civilrights.justice.gov.

If a complaint is filed directly with the outside agency, the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office requests that the complainant send a courtesy copy to the Prosecutor’s Compliance Coordinator at the address previously stated in this policy.