Polk County Victim Assistance Program
Cause Area
- Advocacy & Human Rights
- Children & Youth
- Community
- Justice & Legal
- Women
Location
Polk County CourthouseDallas, OR 97338 United StatesOrganization Information
Mission Statement
The Polk County Victims' Assistance Program was established in 1981 to provide direct services to victims of crime in Polk County. Based on the belief that no one deserves to be the victim of criminal behavior, our goal is to meet the immediate and long-term needs of crime victims in Polk County.
Description
The criminal justice system is complex. Crime victims often become participants in the process with very little understanding of how the system works or what their part in the process is. In addition, they are especially vulnerable because they are victims and, to a greater or lesser degree, are emotionally affected by what has happened to them.
The purpose of the Victim Assistance Program is to provide trained volunteers who help victims of crime understand what happens when a crime is prosecuted, what their rights as victims are, and to provide emotional support to victims throughout the criminal justice process.