Office of Victim & Survivor Rights & Services
Formed in 1988, the mission of CDCR’s Office of Victim and Survivor Rights and Services (OVSRS) is to give crime victims and their families a voice. The formation of the office has laid the groundwork for enforcing victims’ rights and providing services.
OVSRS maintains a comprehensive victim services program and establishes justice practices to ensure crime victims and survivors are afforded the utmost respect in exercising their legal rights. To this end, OVSRS is responsible for providing information, notification, restitution, outreach, training, referral and support services to crime victims and their next of kin.
This website will provide you with valuable information if you were the victim, survivor, or witness to a crime and the offender was sentenced to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) either in an adult or juvenile facility.
What’s New?
- April 2024 – National Crime Victim’s Rights Week is April 21-27, 2024. OVSRS is maintaining a list of events within CDCR and in communities throughout California | View List
- March 2024 – The Board of Parole Hearings has released a comprehensive “CA Parole Hearing Process Handbook” | View Handbook
- February 2024 – CDCR has implemented regulations for the Condemned Inmate Transfer Program (CITP). The program allows death-sentenced individuals to serve their sentences in designated prisons that provide the necessary level of security and enable them to have more access to job opportunities, participate in rehabilitative programming and work opportunities commensurate with their case factors, and pay victim restitution in compliance with Proposition 66 passed by California voters in November 2016.
- If you are a victim, or family member of a victim, you can register for notification here
- View approved regulations
- Read More about Capital Punishment and CITP
- January 2024 – The Division of Rehabilitative Programs offers Victim Impact Program grant opportunities | Learn More
- November 2023 – CDCR redesigned the Inmate Locator ID with a new name California Incarcerated Records and Information Search (CIRIS). The CIRIS has a new enhanced design and a few added features. | Visit CIRIS Portal
- October 2023 – OVSRS awarded grants to five non-profit organizations to assist in facilitating the Victim Offender Dialogue (VOD) program. The five grant recipients are The Ahimsa Collective, Healing Dialogue and Action, San Diego Restorative Justice Mediation Program, Center for African Peace and Conflict Resolution, and The Mend Collaborative.
- September 2023 – OVSRS partners with the California Victim Information Notification Everyday (VINE) system to utilize a language translation line to assist victims with telephone interpretation services. Over 200 languages are available via live operator support.
- August 2023 – OVSRS adds online informational resources regarding the Accountability Letter Bank (ALB) | Learn More
- May 2023 – CDCR and Parole Justice Works have partnered to provide education and resources to victims/survivors and their family members who are interested in participating in the California parole hearing process | Visit Website
- April 2023 – The California Victim Advisory Council created a resource flyer listing all state agencies that provide services and assistance to crime victims. The resource flyer is available in twelve languages | View available forms and publications
- April 1, 2023 – OVSRS implements automated notification to registered victims of an offender’s discharge from parole.
How can we help you?
- Contact the Office of Victim & Survivor Rights & Services?
- Request notification of an offender’s release, parole board hearing, death, or escape?
- Offender family notification – Dustin’s Law?
- Request information on juvenile offenders?
- Request collection of a direct order?
- Attend a parole hearing for a life sentenced inmate?
- Check the status of a scheduled parole hearing?
- Write a Victim Impact Statement?
- Request a Parole Suitability Hearing Transcript?
- Request compensation for travel costs to a parole hearing?
- Find information about parole?
- Find information about Medical Parole?
- Find information on the parole process for inmates serving life sentences?
- Find the location of a CDCR inmate?
- Find an inmate’s CDCR number?
- Find out about California sentencing laws?
- Find out what happens after sentencing?
- Find out what happens to the inmate while incarcerated in the CDCR?
- Find out my restitution responsibilities as an adult offender?
- Make a payment toward the restitution I owe?
- Contact my local county Victim/Witness Assistance Center?
- Find information on other resources available?
- Download CDCR forms and publications?
- Request victim advocate training for my organization?