As a victim, what are my options for restitution and/or financial assistance?
Victims have the right to have stolen property returned, and victims of violent crime may apply for compensation through the Oklahoma Crime Victims Compensation Program (ok.gov/dac/Victims/Victims_Compensation_Program/). More services and information for victims are available at oag.ok.gov/victim-services.
HB 1102 (in effect Nov. 1, 2019) and Oklahoma law state that victims have the right:
- To be informed of financial assistance and other social services available as a result of being a witness or a victim, including information on how to apply for the assistance and services;
- To be informed of the procedure to be followed in order to apply for and receive any witness fee to which the victim or witness s entitled;
- To be informed of the procedure to be followed in order to apply for and receive any restitution to which the victim is entitled;
- To have any stolen or other personal property expeditiously returned by law enforcement agencies when no longer needed as evidence. If feasible, all such property, except weapons, currency, contraband, property subject to evidentiary analysis and property the ownership of which is disputed, shall be returned to the person;
- To be provided with appropriate employer intercession services to ensure that employers of victims and witnesses will cooperate with the criminal justice process in order to minimize the loss of pay and other benefits of the employee resulting from court appearances;
- To have the family members of all homicide victims afforded all of the services under this section, whether or not the person is to be a witness in any criminal proceeding;