Your Rights As A Victim Of Crime - Nevada District Attorneys Association

Victim’s Rights

Being a victim of a crime can become a personal experience for many Nevadans. For some of our neighbors, friends, and family members, this experience will be one of the most traumatic moments of their lives. The crime and arrest of a suspect is only the beginning of what can be a confusing and stressful journey through our criminal justice system. It is a process that can be overwhelming, but it does not have to be made alone.

The Nevada District Attorneys Association strives to seek justice on behalf of crime victims and protect the safety of our communities for all Nevadans. To assist with this important mission, many of our Offices employ Victim Advocates or specially trained support staff who are tasked with assisting crime victims as they navigate the various stages of the Criminal Justice System. Keeping victims informed of the status of their case and apprised of available community resources is important to us. Moreover, in 2018 voters in Nevada overwhelmingly passed the Crime Victims Bill of Rights or Marsy’s Law, which is a constitutional amendment that guarantees victims of crime enforceable constitutional rights.

Nevada voters approved a change to the Nevada State Constitution (Marsy’s Law). This change ensures that victims of crimes are entitled to the following rights:

To be treated with fairness and respect for his or her privacy and dignity, and to be free from intimidation, harassment and abuse, throughout the criminal or juvenile justice process.
To be reasonably protected from the defendant and persons acting on behalf of the defendant.
To have the safety of the victim and the victim’s family considered as a factor in fixing the amount of bail and release conditions for the defendant.
To prevent the disclosure of confidential information or records to the defendant which could be used to locate or harass the victim or the victim’s family.
To refuse an interview or deposition request, unless under court order, and to set reasonable conditions on the conduct of any such interview to which the victim consents.
To reasonably confer with the prosecuting agency, upon request, regarding the case.
To reasonable notice of all public proceedings, including delinquency proceedings, upon request, at which the defendant and the prosecutor are entitled to be present and of all parole or other post conviction release proceedings, and to be present at all such proceedings.
To be reasonably heard, upon request, at any public proceeding, including any delinquency proceeding, in any court involving release or sentencing, and at any parole proceeding.
To the timely disposition of the case following the arrest of the defendant.
To provide information to any public officer or employee conducting a presentence investigation concerning the impact of the offense on the victim and the victim’s family and any sentencing recommendations before the sentencing of the defendant.
To be informed, upon request, of the conviction, sentence, place and time of incarceration, or other disposition of the defendant, the scheduled release date of the defendant and the release of or the escape by the defendant from custody.
To full and timely restitution.
To the prompt return of legal property when no longer needed as evidence.
To be informed of all post conviction proceedings, to participate and provide information to the parole authority to be considered before the parole of the offender and to be notified, upon request, of the parole or other release of the offender.
To have the safety of the victim, the victim’s family and the general public considered before any parole or other post-judgment release decision is made.
To have all monetary payments, money and property collected from any person who has been ordered to make restitution be first applied to pay the amounts ordered as restitution to the victim.
To be specifically informed of the rights enumerated in this section, and to have information concerning those rights be made available to the general public.

CRIME VICTIM BILL OF RIGHTS:

The 1983 Nevada General Assembly mandated certain rights and guarantees to victims and witnesses. Chapter 178 of the Nevada Revised Statutes and the Constitution of the State of Nevada recognizes the following needs and rights of crime victims:

1. You have the right to know the status of the case in which you are involved.

2. You have the right to be free from intimidation or dissuasion.

3. You have the right to know when your impounded property can be released.

4. You have the right to receive a witness fee for lawful obedience to a subpoena.

5. You have the right to understand the existing victim compensation laws and receive compensation if applicable.

6. You have the right to a secure waiting area, which is not available to the defendant and his/her family, when you are at court.

7. You have the right to know when the defendant is released from custody before or during trial (upon written request).

8. You have the right to know when the offender is released from prison (upon written request).

More Helpful Resources

We’ve included helpful and additional informational resources below. We encourage you to learn more and further educate yourself on your rights, various programs and how we’re here to help you.

How We Can Help

If you have been a victim of crime, Nevada’s District Attorneys are here to assist you. We strive to treat crime victims with the utmost dignity and respect through ongoing communication and information sharing. We are dedicated to seeking justice on your behalf and representing the State of Nevada to ensure your safety and that of every community within our state.