Crime Victim's Assistance Office
 

 

 


Carol J. Scott / Crime Victim Liaison
281-842-3172

The Crime Victim's assistance office of the La Porte Police Department provides the following services free of charge to victims of crime and their families :

Ψ      Notification of Victim's rights

Ψ      Assistance in filing Protective Orders

Ψ      Aid in applying for Crime Victim's Compensation

Ψ      Court accompaniment upon request / availability

Ψ      Notification of trial dates, proceedings, and case disposition

Ψ      Assistance in filing Victim Impact Statements

Ψ      Referrals to community resources that offer free or inexpensive services

Ψ      Act as contact person between Victim and Criminal Justice System

Ψ      Help in making a report and / or filing charges

Chapter 56 of the Code of Criminal Procedures ( Rights of Crime Victim's), Each local law enforcement agency shall designate one person to serve as the agency's Crime Victim Liaison.  The duty of the Crime Victim Liaison is to ensure that a victim, or close relative of a deceased victim is provided with crime victim's rights.

Useful Telephone Numbers

Crisis Numbers

Crisis Hotline ( Bay Area) …….(281) 461-9992                  National Domestic Violence .….(800)799-SAFE

Crisis Hotline (Houston) ……...(713)HOTLINE                 Suicide Hotline (National) …….(800)SUICIDE  

Crisis Hotline (Spanish) ........(713) 526-8088                        United Way ….........................(713) 957-HELP    

Crisis Hotline (Teens) ………....(713) 529-TEEN                                                                                                  

 Domestic Violence Shelters / Counseling

Bay Area Turning Point ……………….(281) 286-2525        Family Time Foundation ..……..(281) 446-2615

Bay Area Women's Center ……………..(281) 422-2292        Fort Bend Co Women's Ctr…...(281) 342-4357

Beaumont Women's Shelter …………….(409) 832-7575        Galveston Crisis Center …..….(409) 763-1441

Brazoria County Women's Center .........…(979) 849-9533     Houston Area Women's Center...(713) 528-2121

Bridge Over Troubled Waters (Pasadena) (713) 473-2801      Montgomery Co Women's Ctr....(281) 367-003

Casa Juan Diego  ………………………..(713) 869-7376           Safe House (Huntsville) …..….(409) 327-2513

Homeless Shelters / Referrals

Bay Area Homeless Services ……………………(281) 422-0448

Coalition for the Homeless ………………………(713) 339-7514

Galveston Resource / Crisis Center ……………...(409) 765-7233

Magnificent House ……………………………….(713) 529-4231

Mission of Yaweh ……………………………..…( 713) 466-4785

S.E.A.R.C.H. ……………………………………..(713) 529-4598

Salvation Army …………………………………...(713) 650-6530

Sheltering Arms …………………………………...(281) 838-0880

Star of Hope ……………………………………….(713) 222-2220

Wellsprings, Inc.  …………………………………..(713) 529-6559

Legal Assistance

Aid to Victims of Domestic Violence…(713) 224-9911   Harris County (Child Support)… (713) 755-6757

Associated Catholic Charities ……….(713) 526-4611     Houston Lawyer Referral …..…. (713) 237-9429

Attorney General (Senior Citizen) … (800) 621-0508      Houston Volunteer Lawyers …… (713) 228-0732

Attorney General (Child Support) … (800) 252-8014      Legal Hotline (Domestic Violence) (800) 622-2520

Court Appointed Special Advocate …. (713) 529-1396   Lone Star Legal Aid …..………… (713) 652-0077

Dispute Resolution Center ………… (713) 755-8274     SAFE (Supervised Visitation) …… (713) 755-5625

Harris County (Protective Order) …. (713) 755-5888     Women's Advocacy Project ……… (800) 374-4673

Employment / Education

Career and Recovery Resources …(713) 754-7000       Houston Works  ……………. (713) 654-1919

Equal Employment Opportunity… (713) 209-3320      Lee College (Baytown) ..……. (281) 427-5611

Gulf Coast Careers  ……………... (713) 697-3437      San Jacinto College (Pasadena)  (281) 476-1813

Houston Community College  …... (713) 869-5021      Texas Workforce (Jobs)  ..……. (713) 472-1608

Houston READ Commission  …… (713) 228-1800     Texas Workforce (Unemployment)(713) 982-7400

 Basic Services 

Children's Protective Services (CPS)  ………………………….(800) 252-5400

Consumer Credit Counseling  …………………………………. (713) 923-2227

Department of Health / Human Services  ……………………… (281) 470-8350

Harris County Health Clinic  …………………………………..  (281) 471-4202

Harris County Jail  ………………………………..…………… (713) 755-5300

Medicare / Medicaid  …………………………………………..  (800) 442-2620

Neighborhood Center  ………………………………………….  (281) 471-1824

Social Security Administration  ………………………………..  (800) 772-1213

Women, Infants, Children (WIC)  ……………………………… (281) 471-5408

Rights of a Victim 

As defined in article 56, Texas Code of Criminal Procedures, a victim of a violent crime is someone who :  (1) has suffered bodily injury or death as a result of criminally injurious conduct, or who has been the victim of a crime involving sexual assault, kidnapping, or aggravated robbery; (2) is the close relative (spouse, parent, brother, sister, or adult child) of a deceased victim; or (3) is the guardian of a victim. As a victim of violent crime, you have the following rights :

  1. The right to receive from law enforcement agencies adequate protection from harm and threats of harm arising from cooperation with prosecution efforts.
  1. The right to have the magistrate take the safety of the victim or his family into consideration as an element in fixing the amount of bail for the accused.
  1. The right, if requested, to be informed of relevant court proceedings and to be informed if those court proceedings have been canceled or rescheduled prior to the event.
  1. The right to be informed, when requested, by a peace officer concerning the defendant's right to bail and the procedures in criminal investigations and by the District Attorney's office concerning the general procedures in the criminal justice system., including general procedures in guilty plea negotiations and arrangements, restitution, and the appeals and parole process.
  1. The right to provide pertinent information to a probation department conducting a pre-sentencing investigation concerning the impact of the offense on the victim and his family by testimony, written statements, in any manner prior to any sentencing of the offender.
  1. The right to receive information regarding compensation to victims of crime as provided by the Crime Victim's Compensation Act including information related to the costs that may be compensated under that Act  and the amount of compensation, eligibility for compensation , and procedures for application for compensation under that Act.
  1. The right to be informed, upon request, of parole procedures, to participate in the parole process, to be notified, if requested, of parole proceedings concerning a defendant in the victim's case, to provide to the Board of Pardons and Paroles for inclusion in the defendant's file information to be considered by the board prior to the parole of any defendant convicted of any crime subject to this Act, and to be notified, if requested, of the defendant's release.
  1. The right to be provided with a waiting area, separate or secure from other witnesses, including the offender, and relatives of the offender, before testifying in any proceeding concerning the offender; if a separate waiting area is not available , other safeguards should be taken to minimize the victim's contact with the offender and the offender's relatives and witnesses, before and during court proceedings.
  1. The right to prompt return of any property of the victim that is held by a law enforcement agency or the attorney for the state as evidence when the property is no longer required for that purpose.
  1. The right to have the attorney for the state notify the employer of the victim, if requested, of the necessity of the victim's cooperation and testimony in a proceeding that may necessitate the absence of the victim from work for good cause.
  1. The right to counseling, on request, regarding acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
  1. (AIDS) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection testing for AIDS ,  HIV infection, antibodies to HIV, or infection with any other probable causative agent of AIDS.

Note : Article 56 states : "A judge, attorney for the state, peace officer, or law enforcement agency is not liable for a failure or inability to provide a right enumerated in this article. "

Useful Links

Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD)

Office of the Attorney General

Texas Governor Rick Perry

Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Harris County Criminal & Civil Courts

Texas Association  Against Sexual Assault

Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network

National Domestic Violence Hotline

Texas Sex Offender Search

Laura Recovery Foundation

Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE)

Amber Alerts

Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS)

Suicide Hotline

Alcoholics Anonymous

Department of Family and Protective Services

Social Security Administration

The Bridge over Troubled Waters (Womens Shelter)

Bay Area Turning Point (Womens Shelter)