Welcome!

The Kit Carson County Victim Assistance Office is located in the Kit Carson County Sheriff's Office at the Kit Carson County Courthouse, 251 16th Street, Suite 103, Burlington, CO 80807. We provide direct services to victims and witnesses of violent crimes 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our regular office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00Am to 4:00PM.

• On Scene Crisis intervention.
• Emotional Support to Victims, survivors and families.
• Referrals to agencies that provide medical and mental health and financial support.
• Assistance with filing Victims Compensation Forms.
• Criminal Justice support and in-court advocacy.
• Liaison between victim, law enforcement, investigators, community based agencies and the District Attorney.
• Assistance in filing a Victim's Impact Statement.
• Assistance in recovery of property that is held during a criminal investigation.
• Protection order assistance.
• Child Care assistance to enable the victim to cooperate with the prosecution and other support services.
• Emergency financial assistance.
• Emergency Shelter and Safe-house services.
• Personal Safety Planning.
• Follow up personal and moral assistance as needed.

Mission Statement

Kit Carson County Victim Assistance Program is a dedicated team of advocates working to comfort and assist victims of crime, crisis, and trauma in Kit Carson County, Colorado. We provide social, informational, and practical support to crime victims, to promote justice for victims, to attempt to ensure a voice for victims, to promote access for victims to a seamless web of multidisciplinary services, to advocate for individual victims as well as for social, institutional, and legal change.

History

In October 1991, the Kit Carson County Sheriff’s Office initiated a Victim Assistance Program. This came as a response to the concern for victims, their needs, and their rights. The program began by utilizing volunteers within the county. Victim Assistance reaches to victims of violent crimes, domestic violence, sexual assault, survivors of homicides and suicides and victims of other crisis and trauma. A part-time director was hired with funds from ‘Victims of Crime Act’ (V.O.C.A) a federal grant and the program was supplemented with funds from the State Local ‘Victims Assistance and Law Enforcement’ Board (V.A.L.E.). The program was staffed by trained volunteer advocates who assisted the Kit Carson County, Colorado Sheriff’s Office, Burlington, Colorado Police Department, Town of Stratton, Colorado Marshal’s Office, Colorado State Patrol, Town of Flagler, Colorado Marshal’s Office and the Colorado 13th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

Current Program

The Victim Assistance program is a unit within the Sheriff’s Office of Kit Carson County. It is staffed by a full-time director and volunteer advocates, who work in conjunction with all the law enforcement agencies in Kit Carson County as well as the Colorado 13th Judicial District Attorney and the Victims Compensation Program. The staff responds to victims of crime, crisis, and trauma 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In some cases the team of advocates responds directly and immediately to the victim’s location. This team of advocates provides an extensive support program through immediate contact and follow-up services. It is our goal to help alleviate some of the trauma crime victims’ experience and to provide Victims’ Rights information to all victims covered under the Colorado Victims Rights Amendment passed in November 1992.

The Victims Rights Act

The original Victim Rights Act became effective in January, 1993 after the law was signed by Governor Romer. The Victim Rights Act was amended in 1995, 1997, and 2000. The Victim Rights Act provides victims an active role in the criminal justice process in an attempt to balance the scales of justice. The following is a summary of the rights guaranteed by the Victim Rights Act (For a complete listing of your rights, please refer to Colorado Revised Statutes § 24-4.1-301 through § 24-4.1-304.)

• To be treated with fairness, respect and dignity;
• To be informed of and present for all "critical stages" of the criminal justice process;
• To be free from intimidation, harassment, or abuse, and the right to be informed about what steps can be taken if there is any intimidation or harassment by a person accused or convicted of the crime or anyone acting on the person's behalf;
• To be present and heard regarding bond reduction, acceptance of plea negotiations, case disposition, sentencing, or modification of sentence;
• To consult with the district attorney prior to any disposition of the case or before the case goes to trial and to be informed of the final disposition of the case;
• To be informed of the status of the case and any scheduling changes or cancellations, if known in advance;
• To prepare a Victim Impact Statement and to be present and/or heard at sentencing;
• To have restitution ordered and to be informed of the right to pursue a civil judgment against the person convicted of the crime;
• To a prompt return of the victim's property when no longer needed as evidence;
• To be informed of the availability of financial assistance and community services;
• To be given appropriate employer intercession services regarding court appearances and meetings with criminal justice officials;
• To be assured that in any criminal proceeding the court, the prosecutor, and other law enforcement officials will take appropriate action to achieve a swift and fair resolution of the proceedings;
• Whenever practicable, to have a safe, secure waiting area during court proceedings;
• Upon request, to be informed when a person accused or convicted of the crime is released from custody, is paroled, escapes or absconds from probation or parole;
• Upon written request, to be informed of and heard at any reconsideration of sentence, parole hearing, or commutation of sentence;
• Upon written request, to be informed when a person convicted of a crime against the victim is placed in or transferred to a less secure correctional facility or program or is permanently or conditionally transferred or released from any state hospital;
• To view all or a portion of the presentence report of the probation department at the discretion of the District Attorney;
• To be informed of the results of any court-ordered HIV testing;
• To be informed of any rights which the victim has pursuant to the Constitution of the United States or the State of Colorado; and
• To be informed of the process for enforcing compliance with the Victim Rights Act.

Colorado VRA Crimes

• Murder - 1st and 2nd Degree
• Manslaughter
• Criminally Negligent Homicide and Vehicular Homicide
• Assault - 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree, Vehicular Assault, Assault on elderly or handicapped
• Menacing
• Kidnapping - 1st and 2nd degree
• Sexual Assault - 1st, 2nd, 3rd degree; on a child, on a child by one in a position of trust, on a client by a psychotherapist
• Robbery, Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Robbery of a controlled substance, of the elderly or handicapped
• Incest and Aggravated incest
• Child Abuse
• Sexual Exploitation of Children
• Crimes against at risk persons
• Domestic Violence
• Stalking
• Ethnic intimidation
• Careless Driving that results in the death of another person
• Retaliation against a victim or witness
• Tampering with a victim or witness
• Intimidation and aggravated intimidation of a witness or victim
• Any criminal attempt, conspiracy, criminal solicitation, or accessory involving any of the crimes specified above.
• Failure to stop at the scene of an accident that results in the death of another person
• Indecent exposure
• Violation of a criminal protection order issued against a person charged with sexual assault

Critical Stages

• The filing of charges against a person accused of a crime;
• The preliminary hearing;
• Any bond reduction or modification hearing in which the request is made for a bond lower than the scheduled or customary amount for the specific charge;
• The arraignment of a person accused of a crime;
• Any hearing on motions concerning evidentiary matters of pre-plea or post-plea relief;
• Any disposition of the complaint of charges against the person accused;
• The trial;
• Any sentencing hearing;
• Any appellate review of appellate decision;
• Any subsequent modification of the sentence;
• Any probation revocation hearing;
• Any attack on a judgment or conviction;
• The filing of any complaint, summons, or warrant by the probation department for failure to report to probation or because the location of a person convicted of a crime is unknown;
• The request for change of venue or transfer of probation or because the location of a person convicted of a crime is unknown;
• The request for any release from probation supervision from one jurisdiction to another;
• Any parole application hearing;
• The parole, release, or discharge from imprisonment of a person convicted of a crime;
• Any parole revocation hearing;
• The transfer to or placement of a person convicted of a crime in a non-secured facility; and,
• The transfer, release, or escape of a person charged with or convicted of a crime from any state hospital;

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