(2) Require volunteers to acknowledge and comply with
all CSCD rules governing the confidentiality of information.
(k) Victim Services. The criminal justice system recognizes
the many stakeholders affected by crime and wishes to acknowledge
crime victims' interests and right to be informed, heard, and protected
by the system. With that goal in mind, standards are incorporated
to facilitate the participation of crime victims within community
supervision.
(1) Training. The CSCD victim services coordinators
shall obtain no less than eight documented hours of professional,
skill-based training within the first biennium of appointment to the
position of victim service coordinator. Training shall be specific
to community supervision and should include:
(A) Victims' rights;
(B) Victim sensitivity;
(C) Confidentiality issues; and
(D) Crime victim compensation.
(2) Policy and Procedures. Each CSCD shall adopt written
policies and procedures regarding victim notification of offenders
placed on community supervision and offender information that may
be released to victims.
(A) Notifying the victim of the offender's crime, or
if the victim has a guardian or is deceased, notifying the guardian
of the victim or close relative of the deceased victim, when the offender
is released and placed on community supervision. Notification shall
include the information specified in Texas Government Code §76.016,
which includes:
(i) Notice the offender is being placed on community
supervision;
(ii) The conditions of community supervision imposed
by the court; and
(iii) The date, time, and location of any hearing or
proceeding at which the conditions of the offender's community supervision
may be modified or the offender's placement on community supervision
may be revoked or terminated.
(B) Offender information that is public may be released
to victims. Such information includes:
(i) Court ordered community supervision identifying
the CSCD with jurisdiction;
(ii) A written copy of the conditions of supervision;
(iii) The name of the supervising officer;
(iv) Victim service coordinator contact information;
(v) Motion to revoke supervision being filed and the
results of the motion;
(vi) Information regarding the transfer of an offender
to another jurisdiction and contact information; and
(vii) Information that the offender has been placed
in residential confinement and released from confinement, unless such
confinement is in a substance abuse treatment facility.
(3) Other information that may be released includes
information that the victim would have knowledge of, such as:
(A) Uncollected or unpaid restitution; and
(B) Sanctions for violating the terms and conditions
of supervision.
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Source Note: The provisions of this §163.21 adopted to be effective January 2, 1992, 16 TexReg 7539; amended to be effective March 1, 1993, 18 TexReg 944; amended to be effective August 16, 1995, 20 TexReg 5799; amended to be effective October 13, 1997, 22 TexReg 9896; amended to be effective June 20, 2002, 27 TexReg 5220; amended to be effective April 17, 2003, 28 TexReg 3065; amended to be effective September 10, 2009, 34 TexReg 6122; amended to be effective March 5, 2017, 42 TexReg 766 |