As defined by Iowa Code Section 915.10(3), you are considered a crime victim if you are:

• A person who has suffered physical, emotional, or financial harm as a result of a public offense or delinquent act
• The immediate family member(s) of a victim who has died or was rendered incompetent as a result of the offense
• The immediate family member(s) of a victim who was under the age of eighteen years of age at the time of the offense

To ensure you receive all information relevant to the case in which you are involved, you need to register as a victim by:

• Returning a completed "Victim Registration Form" to our office
• Calling our office to provide your contact information
• Responding to our written notifications
• Contacting our office to schedule a meeting with the victim witness assistance program staff and/or the prosecutor assigned to the case

To be notified of an offender's release from the Story County Jail, you must also register with Victim Notification and Information Everyday (VINE) by calling 1-888-742-8463 or visit http://www.vinelink.com.

VINE will tell you if an offender is in the Story County Jail and will give you other important custody information.  VINE will also let you leave a telephone number or email address where you want to be contacted automatically when that offender is released, transferred, or escapes from custody.

The offender will not know you are registered with VINE.

To complete the registration process with VINE, you will be asked to enter a Personal Indentification number (PIN) code to confirm you personally received the notice of the offender's release.

If you have additional questions about the VINE system, or need assistance in completing the registration process, please contact the Victim Witness Assistance Program or visit http://www.vinelink.com for more information.

The Story County Victim Witness Assistance Program staff is dedicated to helping victims and witnesses through the criminal justice system by providing as much information, convenience, and courtesy as possible.  We are committed to providing the following services to you:

• Explanations of the criminal justice process and court procedures
• Notifications concerning upcoming court hearings, trials, plea negotiations, and case results
• Assistance in recovering financial losses and other crime related expenses, which are not covered by insurance
• Information and referrals for victim-offender conferencing, mediation, counseling, and other community resources
• Provide documentation for victim impact statements and other relevant court documents
• Address safety concerns
• Information and references concerning crime victims' rights in Iowa

For a full definition of crime victims' rights, please refer to Iowa Code Section 915.

You are not required to attend any court proceedings unless you receive a subpoena, which is a court order to appear to give testimony.

If you are subpoenaed to court, please make sure to talk to our staff about reimbursement for mileage, lost wages, and witness fees pertaining to court appearances and depositions.

Also, many court proceedings are handled by the filing of documents, rather than personal appearances.

If you plan to attend a court proceeding or trial, please contact our office in advance to allow us to inform you of any last minute changes or to verify a court date and time.