Email address - michelle.cruz@ct.gov

Number of employees - 3.5

Recurring operating expenses - $363,282

Organizational structure - Independent State Agency, under the Department of Administrative Services, for administrative purposes only.

Mission

The Office of the Victim Advocate (OVA), an independent state agency, advocates for the protection and promotion of the State Constitutional rights of crime victims throughout the state of Connecticut. The OVA monitors and evaluates the delivery of services to crime victims and works to advance policies throughout the state that promote the fair and just treatment of crime victims throughout the criminal justice system. The existence of the OVA provides oversight and advocacy when the criminal justice system fails crime victims. The OVA remains committed to ensuring that the voices of crime victims play a central role in Connecticut’s response to violence and to those victimized by crime. Further, the OVA has a firm dedication to promoting awareness to Connecticut citizens as to the services available to crime victims through outreach, education and public service events.

Statutory Responsibility

The OVA provides services to crime victims who believe their State Constitutional rights as crime victims have been or are being violated or crime victims who believe that the services available to crime victims in the state are being unfairly denied or inadequately provided. The State Victim Advocate and her staff receive complaints from crime victims, or others on behalf of crime victims, and can initiate an inquiry into such complaints. As an attorney, the State Victim Advocate can file her appearance in any court proceeding throughout the state to advocate for crime victims’ rights to make certain that crime victims’ rights are being honored and respected by the criminal justice system. The State Victim Advocate monitors and evaluates the delivery of services to crime victims by state agencies and not-for-profit organizations that make up the victim service delivery system in the state. The State Victim Advocate advocates at the state legislature for legislative initiatives and policies to better serve crime victims and to improve Connecticut’s victim services delivery system.

Public Service

The State Victim Advocate and her staff constantly strive to appropriately address the concerns brought to the attention of the OVA by crime victims and those on behalf of crime victims. The State Victim Advocate and her staff have frequently meet with crime victims, state agencies who provide services to crime victims and non-profit organization to discuss the handling of particular matters that may require action by the OVA. The OVA engages in regular contact with these individuals to obtain feedback regarding the effectiveness of the OVA’s assistance on behalf of crime victims throughout the state. This feedback is invaluable in guiding the OVA to the best manner in which the OVA can continue to carry out its statutory mandates, always with an eye toward improving the quality of service provided to crime victims and providing a voice to crime victims.

Improvements/Achievements 2008-09

During its tenth year of operation, the Office of the Victim Advocate (OVA) continued to operate as a fully functional state agency committed to effectively and efficiently carrying out its statutory mandates. The following specific achievements in this regard are noted:

The OVA regularly receives complaints from crime victims throughout the state alleging one or more violations of their legal rights as crime victims and/or some problem in the provision of services and the OVA continues to take appropriate action to effectively resolve the complaint or problem.
The Victim Advocate has intervened in numerous criminal and civil court proceedings to effectively advocate for the enforcement of crime victim rights.
The OVA sponsored the first ever “Victims’ Voice Day”; a day dedicated to mobilizing crime victims and supporters to learn about the legislative process as well as services, both statewide and locally, available to them as crime victims. The event had twenty-eight host sites and produced over three hundred and fifty (350) letters to legislators in support of legislation. The event was a huge success and will be replicated in the coming years.

The Victim Advocate co-sponsored the 13^th Annual Melanie Rieger Conference Against Violence. The Victim Advocate presented a Crime Victim Assistant Award to Kitt Tierney an advocate in the New Britain J.D. Court for her nearly two decades of assistance to crime victims and continued support for victims as they journey through the criminal justice system. The Office of the Victim Advocate conducted a breakout session at the conference geared towards educating key players’ in the criminal justice system as to how the Office of the Victim Advocate can better serve them in reaching their goals to help crime victims. The breakout session as titled, “The OVA – Connecticut’s Best Kept Secret”.
The Victim Advocate initiated a Habeas Restructuring Working Group to gather information regarding the habeas structure to determine whether to recommend a legislative proposal.
The Victim Advocate initiated a Privacy Exception Focus Group to determine whether there should be a legislative proposal suggesting an exception to the Freedom of Information Act.
The Victim Advocate proposed the following piece legislation during the 2009 “An Act Concerning the Rights of Crime Victims and the Duties of the Office of the Victim Advocate.” Additionally, the Victim Advocate testified in support of several other legislative initiatives, including but not limited to: Public Act 09-239, An Act Concerning Consumer Privacy and Identity Theft; Raised House Bill No. 6563, An Act Concerning the Investigation of Missing Persons Reports; Raised House Bill No. 6494, An Act Concerning Teen Dating Violence Education and Raised House Bill No. 6361, An Act Concerning the Establishment of a Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners Program.
The OVA currently has three full-time positions and one part-time position which include the State Victim Advocate, a Complaint Officer, a Staff Attorney and an Office Assistant. Additionally, the OVA utilized four interns, two legal interns, one Master candidate intern and one Bachelors Degree intern to assist in several projects at the agency.
The Victim Advocate has been consistently adding information to the OVA website.
The Victim Advocate and OVA staff made numerous public appearances throughout the state to publicize the existence and function of the OVA, in addition to informing citizens about victim rights in Connecticut.
The Victim Advocate participated in a training session with the sexual assault advocates to clarify restraining orders and protective orders. Additionally, the Victim Advocate created an Orders of Protection Quick Reference Guide, which is available on the OVA website.
The Victim Advocate and OVA staff participate on numerous committees and commissions for the improvement of services to crime victims.
The Victim Advocate held a “Best Practices of Advocating for Crime Victims” seminar on June 19, 2009; a free training for statewide victim advocates including advocates from the Office of Victim Service, MADD, CONNSACs, CCADV, Survivors of Homicide, and local/state police departments. After reviewing the feedback from the participants, the training was determined to be a success and will be replicated in the years to come.
The Victim Advocate and OVA Complaint Officer attended the National Organization for Victim Assistance Annual Conference and maintained an agency table at the conference. The conference was well-attended and offered over 100 different workshops.
The Victim Advocate contacted University of Connecticut, School of Law and will be conducting a course on the “Evolution of Victims Rights.”
The Victim Advocate revised the Office of the Victim Advocate Agency Brochure and in addition developed an Identity Theft Quick Reference Guide, both of which are available on the OVA website.
The Victim Advocate developed and has distributed a quarterly newsletter titled “The Victims’ Voice.” The OVA has distributed electronically two newsletters to date to various agencies, crime victims and towns throughout the state, the first in February 2009 and the second in June 2009. The next newsletter will be ready for distribution in September 2009. The Victims’ Voice includes but is not limited to articles, resources for crime victims and cold case information.
The Victim Advocate initiated a formal investigation into facts and circumstances of the murder/suicide of Jennifer Gauthier Magnano and Scott Magnano. A detailed investigative report will be distributed in September 2009.
The Victim Advocate initiated an inquiry regarding College and University Student Grievance Procedures.
The Victim Advocate initiated an inquiry into the space available to Domestic Violence Advocates and victims in courthouses throughout the state of Connecticut.
The Victim Advocate has initiated an inquiry into violations of no contact while incarcerated. The OVA has identified two components of the issue and has been working in a collaborative effort with DOC to understand the system and how it can be improved.
The Victim Advocate addressed the practice of prosecutors charging domestic violence victims with violating their own restraining or protective orders with the Chief State’s Attorney and the State Attorney where the majority of these offenses were generated from. The practice has been halted and the pending cases are being reviewed.
The Victim Advocate filed a Motion for No Contact and Timely Disposition in the Petit case. The motion was heard, the defense agreed to cease further contact unless related to investigation of the case, and if so, would agree to clearly identify the investigator and his or her purpose of contacting the Petit or Hawke family. The Court delineated the timeline for the Petit Trial(s).

Information Reported as Required by State Statute

The OVA has complied with all of the requirements of all federal and state requirements regarding affirmative action and equal opportunity.