Southern Ute Indian Tribe

Victim Services

The mission of the Southern Ute Victim Services Program is to provide comprehensive, coordinated services to ensure the safety and well being of all victims involved in a crime within the exterior boundaries of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation.

Located in the Law Enforcement Department of the Southern Ute Justice Complex, the Victim Services Program provides assistance to victims of crime in the forms of counseling, referrals, and support through the criminal justice and court system, as well as provides shelter in special cases for both primary and secondary victims. We work collaboratively with other agencies to provide services to all victims of crime to include domestic violence, sexual assault, teen dating violence, and stalking.

Why the Program is Important

Victim/Witness Programs have been set up in District Attorneys’ offices all over the country to help victims through the prosecution process. Counseling services and support groups are set up to assist in the transition from victim to survivor. Victim Compensation is available that can assist in financial matters such as counseling, broken locks, injuries, etc. Most victims are not aware of the services available to them and research supports the belief that victims of crimes recover and return to more normal lives if support services are provided soon after victimization. Victim Services Program’s setup in the Law Enforcement Agencies can fill a void in referral, crisis intervention, and support. Law enforcement agencies are reaping an added bonus: Officers have more time for active patrol while feeling comfortable that the victim is receiving adequate follow-up resources. Investigators can do their work more effectively because Victim Services can answer victims’ questions about the process of the investigation while offering support during interviewing.

How the Victim Services Program Helps Victims of Crime

The Victim Services Program is designed to provide a support and information system to victims immediately by responding to the scene of the crisis, the clinic/hospital, or the law enforcement agency handling the case. This is usually the time when most victims feel alone and afraid and have feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Victim assistance includes such aid as 24/7 on-call victim advocates, crisis intervention, counseling, emergency transportation, victim notification, court accompaniment, victim impact statement, assistance with civil protection orders, child custody and divorce cases, other agencies’ referrals, victim/witness assistance, restitution recovery, temporary emergency housing, and security measures. Such services are vitally important for victims and their families as they wind their way through the Justice System and try to recover from life-shattering experiences.

If you are a victim of a crime act, you maybe eligible for assistance: feel free to call the Southern Ute Victim Services Program at 970-563-0245 to obtain information.