Victim Services
Victim Services Overview
We provide support, resources, and timely notification for victims of crime whose perpetrators are under the custody of the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC).
Who is a Victim
The Code of Virginia §19.2-11.01 defines a victim of crime as anyone who has suffered physical, psychological, or economic harm as a direct result of a felony or certain misdemeanors. This includes:
- Spouses and children of all victims
- Parents, guardians, and siblings of mentally or physically disabled victims or victims of homicide
- Parents, guardians, and siblings of minor victims
- Foster parents or other caregivers, under certain circumstances
Register for Notifications
Victims must register with the VADOC Victim Services Unit for notifications. Once registered, you will receive automated phone, text, email, TTY, and/or letter notifications from the Notification and Assistance for Victim Inclusion (NAAVI) system about an inmate while they are in state custody.
Please note that the VADOC’s NAAVI notification service is not connected to VINE notifications at local jails. You must register directly with the VADOC to receive notifications about inmates under state custody.
The registration form is also available in Spanish.
Services
As a victim of crime, the following services are available to you:
Advocacy, training, and education efforts on your behalf
We respond to threats, harassment, or unwanted contact from an inmate under VADOC custody; provide training on our post-sentencing, trauma-informed services; conduct basic skills training for correctional professionals; and serve as victim subject matter experts on committees and within the VADOC.
Notification of inmate’s status updates
Notification through NAAVI includes information on an inmate’s transfer, release, death, name change, work release status, escape, recapture, parole interview, and parole decision.
Local referrals and support information
We provide short- and long-term support, referrals to local providers, assist in determining proper referrals to support services, and maintain a community services referral database.
Victim-centered programs
Our Victim-Offender Dialogue Program enables a victim to participate in a facilitated dialogue with the perpetrator. Victims and survivors can also participate in guest speaking opportunities, like the Victim Impact Program, to give voice to their experience.
Accompaniment to hearings
Our team accompanies victims to Victim Impact Programming and other speaking engagements. We also provide support as requested by the Virginia Parole Board and the Attorney General Office’s Victim Notification Program.
Explanation of the incarceration, probation, parole, and re-entry processes
We serve as a guide for victims during the post-sentencing phase of the Virginia criminal justice system. We provide information about inmate intake, classification, time calculation, and release planning. Victims receive assistance and information about the re-entry plan, including safety planning, service referrals, and assistance with the transition to community corrections.