Victim Inclusion

The Sex Offender Registry Board has a Victim Services Unit (VSU) to provide victims with assistance, information and notification as the offender progresses through the registration and classification processes. The Victim Services Unit assists victims with writing Victim Impact Statements (VIS) and also provides safety planning, crisis intervention, and referrals for resources as needed.

The Sex Offender Registry Law requires the Board to consider a Victim Impact Statement as part of the classification process. Through the written statement, the victim is given the opportunity to describe the harm the offender has caused. Understanding the devastating, often long-term impact of sex offenses on victims is critical to assessing the consequences of the offender’s criminal behavior.

In order for a victim or a parent/guardian of a child victim to participate in the Sex Offender Registry Board process, there must be an adjudication or a conviction for a sex offense committed against the victim. Typically, victim referrals are submitted to the Sex Offender Registry Board through a form entitled, “Victim Participation and Notification” by the District Attorney’s Office at the time of the offender’s sex offense conviction or adjudication. This form is also accessible on the Sex Offender Registry Board’s website. A victim or parent/guardian must enroll with the SORB’s Victim Services Unit in order to be included in the offender’s classification process.