Victim Compensation
If you are a victim of a violent crime, a dependent of a deceased victim, or a person authorized to act on behalf of a victim, you may be eligible to receive money to pay for expenses or damages.
To qualify, the crime must have been reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency and must have occurred within Boulder County.
A victim or authorized representative may be compensated for:
Restitution
This site contains information about many of the specific rights afforded to victims of these crimes. It also includes resources and contacts available to the victims.
Crimes with Guaranteed Rights
The Constitution of the State of Colorado and the laws of this state guarantee rights to victims of the following crimes:
Victim and Witness Reactions
The initial shock following a crime, sudden death, or other trauma is a hard and painful reality for everyone involved. Some normal reactions are:
For Victims
We are sorry to hear that you may have been a victim of crime. This experience may have created stress, fear, and confusion for you and we would like to offer our help with any problems you may be experiencing as a result of this crime. If you are a victim of one of the crimes listed above, your rights are guaranteed by the Colorado Constitution. This site is designed to inform you of your rights and to help you exercise those rights.
Please feel free to contact any member of the CU Police Department should you require any type of assistance. We will do our best to help you, or put you in contact with other appropriate resources.
Rights of Victims
Victims and witnesses of the listed crimes have the following rights:
The Next Step Is...
After the initial report, a department supervisor will review your case to determine if there is enough evidence and/or leads to assign for further investigation. If your case is assigned to a detective, they will be in contact with you. If it is determined a crime was committed and a suspect is arrested and charged, your case will be referred to the district attorney, and the District Attorney’s Office will review the case and decide if prosecution of the suspect will occur. Keep in mind that it will not be your responsibility to decide if it will be filed. The District Attorney’s Office will make the decision about whether or not the case will be prosecuted.
For Your Protection
Intimidation, harassment, and stalking are all crimes. If you are being intimidated, harassed, or stalked, or you feel you are in danger at any time, please call 911. Also available are:
Property Releases
If any of your property was taken by the police as evidence or recovered during an investigation, and it is not contraband, it can be returned to you as soon as it is no longer needed for evidentiary purposes. Before coming to pick up your property, we request that you call the evidence custodian to make an appointment for all property releases.
Arrest Information & Reports
To get a copy of your case report call CU Police Records at 303-492-5115.
Defendant’s Release from Jail
If an arrest was made and you would like to be informed of the suspect’s release from jail or juvenile detention, we must ask you to call the Boulder County Jail and inform them that you wish to be notified of their release. You must make sure that the jail has your current address and phone number and is made aware of any changes. If the suspect is being held in another jail you should contact the appropriate agency with this request.
The Boulder County District Attorney’s Office will inform you of future court dates and legal proceedings.
Additional Resources
Questions Regarding Your Rights
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your rights as a victim, call the University of Colorado Office of Victim Assistance at 303-492-8855 or the District Attorney Victim/Witness director at 303-441-3700.
If all local efforts to obtain your rights have failed, you may request assistance from the Governor’s Victims’ Coordinating Committee. For additional information call the Office for Victims’ Programs at the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice in Denver at 303-239-4442.