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The First Judicial District Department of Correctional Services (DCS) is committed to being informative, responsive, and sensitive to the needs of victims of crime.  We believe you have the right to be treated with dignity and respect in all your contacts with the Department.  Persons with whom we have worked in the past have told us that it is helpful to have information about our programs and policies. 

 

This handbook is designed to provide you with basic information about DCS, programs and services we offer to victims of crime, and community referral information that may be beneficial to you and your family. 

 

DCS is here to provide a comprehensive program of community correctional services, including Pre-Trial Services, Pre-Sentence Investigations, Probation Supervision, Residential Correctional Facilities, Work Release, Parole, Compact Services, a Youthful Offender Program (DETOUR), and Special Programs.

 

We are interested in any comments or ideas you may have about how we can better serve the needs of crime victims and our community.  You may call the Victim Liaison’s office at (319) 234-1745 ext. 306 during normal business hours, mail information to: 

 

Mary Roche – Victim Liaison

312 East 6th Street – PO Box 4030

 Waterloo, IA 50704

 

Or email:  mary.roche@doc.state.ia.us.

 

 

 

 

 

Important Phone Numbers

 

FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT – DEPT. OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES (DCS)

Victim Liaison/VOIS Program:  234-1745 ext. 306

Probation/Parole Office:  291-2091

Residential Facility:  291-2087

Work Release Facility:  233-4704

 

BLACK HAWK COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

Victim/Witness Assistance Program:  833-3001

County Attorney’s Office:  833-3001

 

FAMILY SERVICE LEAGUE: CRISIS SERVICES PROGRAM

24-Hour Hotline:  233-8484

Rape/Sexual Assault Program/Domestic Abuse Program/Suicide Hotline

Telephone Support Services

 

BLACK HAWK COUNTY CLERK OF COURTS OFFICE

833-3331

 

BLACK HAWK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE/JAIL

291-2587

 

CRIME VICTIM COMPENSATION PROGRAM

1-800-373-5044

 

IOWA BOARD OF PAROLE

(515) 242-5757

 

STATE OF IOWA - DEPARTMENT OF CORRECITONS

 OFFICE OF VICTIM PROGRAMS

1-800-778-1182

 

Definition of Terms

 

Probation:  the suspension of a prison sentence and placement of a defendant by court order under the supervision of Correctional Services (DCS) for a specified period of time. Supervision emphasizes employment stability, victim restitution, community service sentencing, use of community resources, one-on-one counseling, and surveillance of the offender in the community.  Each offender is assessed to determine the level of supervision he/she may require.  These levels range from low-risk to intensive levels of supervision.  Each level may have different requirements for the offender.

 

Parole:  the placement of an offender under supervision for a specified period of time after serving part of a prison sentence, or placement in Work Release.  Parole is granted by the Parole Board.

 

Residential Facility Placement:  the placement of a defendant by court order to a more intense level of supervision by living in, and abiding by all rules and conditions of a residential facility.  Once facility placement is completed, the offender may continue to be supervised on probation.

 

Work Release Facility Placement:  the placement of a defendant, after serving part of a prison sentence, to a more intense level of supervision than parole.  Once facility placement is completed, the offender may continue to be supervised on parole.  Work Release placements are decided by the Parole Board.

 

Introduction to Probation/Parole

 

 

When an offender is placed under our supervision (probation or parole) the Department becomes involved with the offender in a manner that is designed to assist the offender in developing a successful living pattern within the community with the goal of law-abiding behavior.  This may require considerable attitudinal change, along with the development of work skills, obtaining employment, and one or more of any number of specialized services provided by the Department - or agencies to which it refers offenders for specialized services not available within the Department.  The objective is to eliminate as many of the negative factors in the offender's life as possible that may contribute to criminal behavior.

 

Working to eliminate negative factors will not be effective with every offender.  Varying degrees of supervision and programming will be required in every case.  Experience has shown a majority of offenders will require considerable assistance in the areas of education, job skills and employment.  Many will be referred by the Department for specialized services available from community agencies.

 

Frequently asked questions are:

-       Where is the offender?

-       Who is the offender’s Probation/Parole Officer?

-       Who do I contact if I have information about the offender?

 

If you have questions about the offender in your case, you can call the Probation/Parole Office at (319) 291-2091.

 

 

General Rules of Probation

 

The following are general rules that the majority of offenders agree to abide by when they are placed under DCS supervision.  However, each offender is assessed individually and a “case plan” is developed with the Probation or Parole Officer.  In addition, if an offender is placed in a facility – residential or work release – additional conditions are applied.  If you would like more information about residential and/or work release facility rules, please contact us and we will assist you.

 

1.       Will maintain suitable residence approved by the probation officer; will make no change in residence without prior approval of that officer; and, will notify that officer within seventy-two (72) hours of any change in telephone number service.

 

2.       Will not leave the State of Iowa without obtaining prior written permission from probation officer.

 

3.       Will secure and maintain employment or an educational program, as approved by the probation officer:

 

4.       Will obey all laws (Federal, State, or City Ordinances) and will advise the probation officer within twenty-four (24) hours of any arrest or citation issued, as well as notify the arresting authorities of being on probation.

 

5.       Will present proof of adequate liability insurance or financial responsibility before owning or operating a motor vehicle; and will not operate any motor vehicle without a valid driver's license.

 

6.       Will not use or possess any illegal drugs or any prescription drugs without a valid prescription; will submit to urinalysis and/or alcohol test upon request of the probation officer.

 

7.       Will initiate and maintain specified contact with the probation officer and will submit a written report as required; will notify the probation officer in advance if an appointment cannot be kept.  Will not lie to, mislead, or misinform the probation officer either by statement or omission of information.

 

8.       Will actively cooperate with and participate in any referral programs as directed by the probation officer.

 

9.       Will comply with the Plan of Restitution or Plan for Community Services as ordered and approved by the Court.

 

10.      Shall treat all persons with respect and courtesy and refrain from assaultive, intimidating, or threatening verbal and physical behavior.

 

11.      Will be in the residence approved by the probation officer between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 5:00 a.m., except for the purposes of going to and from place of employment unless prior arrangements have been made with the probation officer.

 

Any violation of these conditions is a violation of probation, which could cause the probation to be revoked by the Court.  A “revocation hearing” may occur in which the Probation/Parole Officer presents to the court the offender’s violations.  The court can then decide to “revoke” probation and (1) the offender must serve his/her sentence in jail or prison, or (2) give sanctions to the offender for the violations but maintain his/her status on probation, or (3) change the offender’s conditions of probation to address pertinent issues related to the violations.  The court can also decide that there is not enough evidence to support a “revocation” and the offender maintains his/her status.

 

 

Victim Rights

 

Every state has enacted laws that provide basic rights to crime victims.  Over half of the states have amended their constitution to further protect the rights of crime victims.  According to Iowa law, you have:

 

§       THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION about the scheduled date, time and place of trial and to be informed of any plea agreements related to the crime;

 

§       THE RIGHT TO MAKE A VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT which you can write, or make an oral statement in the presence of the offender;

 

§       THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION about the conviction, sentencing, imprisonment, and release of the offender;

 

§       THE RIGHT TO A VICTIM ADVOCATE while undergoing any medical, legal or judicial process related to the crime;

 

§       THE RIGHT TO RECEIVE RESTITUTION from the offender for economic losses related to the crime;

 

§       THE RIGHT TO APPLY FOR COMPENSATION from the Crime Victim Compensation Program that pays for medical expenses, counseling services, and lost income in cases of violent crime.

 

§       THE RIGHT TO REGISTER with the Department of Justice, Board of Parole and the Department of Corrections when an offender is sent to prison so you can be notified of any appeals, parole hearings, and inmate releases. You may contact the Iowa Board of Parole at (515) 242-5757.

 

 

State & National Hotlines

 

     Iowa Statewide Domestic Abuse Hotline               800-942-0333

 

     Iowa Statewide Sexual Abuse Hotline                  800-284-7821

 

     Iowa Department of Human Services Child & Dependent Adult

    Abuse 24-Hour Hotline                                   800-362-2178

 

     National Center for Victims of Crime                     800-394-2255

 

     National Center for Missing & Exploited Children     800-843-5678

          TDD Hotline     800-826-7653

 

     National Domestic Violence Hotline                      800-799-7223

                     TTY Hotline     800-797-3224

 

     Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network                800-656-4673

 

 

     State & National Non-Emergency Resources

 

     Iowa Attorney General’s Office – Crime Victim Assistance Division         800-373-5044

 

     Mother’s Against Drunk Driving                            800-438-MADD

 

     National Children’s Alliance                              800-239-9950

 

     National Organization for Victim Assistance          800-TRY-NOVA

 

     Office for Victims of Crime Resource Center            800-627-6872

 

     Parents of Murdered Children                          888-818-POMC

 

 

 

Restitution

 

One of the conditions of probation/parole is Victim Restitution and this is particularly important to many victims of crime.  Prompt collection and distribution of restitution to victims is a high departmental priority.  The process of restitution is as follows:

 

1.     Prior to a defendant’s sentencing, you should receive a Victim Impact Statement and a restitution form in the mail from the County Attorney’s Office.  If for some reason you do not receive these forms, please phone the Victim Witness Assistance Program at (319) 833-3001.

 

2.     Restitution is set, by the court, upon the recommendation of the County Attorney’s Office.  The amount owed is entered on the court order.

 

3.     The offender’s “plan of payment” is calculated by the probation/parole officer and entered on a court order within 90 days of the offender’s placement on DCS supervision.

 

4.     The restitution amount, payment schedule, name and address of the injured party are entered into the Clerk of Courts Office records.

 

5.     The offender makes payments (in person or by mail) to the Clerk of Courts Office.  The payment is recorded and a receipt is issued and credited to the restitution amount.

 

6.     On the 15th of each month, the Clerk of Courts Office prints restitution checks from monies received the previous month, and mails them to crime victims.

 

7.     Restitution checks should be received until the amount is paid in full.

 

 

        

If the Offender Doesn’t Pay Restitution:

 

Each probation/parole officer has the responsibility of monitoring the restitution payments made by offenders.  As might be expected, there are occasions when offenders do not meet their court-ordered financial obligations.  An offender, for example, may lose his/her job, or may simply spend his/her money unwisely.  In these cases, the officer will attempt to bring about compliance by various means.  For the unemployed offender, a referral may be made to a job skills class.  Budgeting and banking skills training may be given to offenders who practice poor financial management.  Or, a “wage assignment” may be ordered.  Wage Assignments are similar to garnishments in that an offender signs an agreement for his/her employer to take a defined amount directly out of his/her paycheck.  These monies are then sent to the Clerk of Courts Office for disbursement.

 

If the offender fails to take advantage of assistance and continues to neglect restitution payments, at some point the court must be notified.  Practices vary regarding when legal action will be taken against offenders who fail to make court-ordered payments.  There are also occasions when the court may temporarily excuse an offender from payments, or may order Community Service as an alternative.  The most important thing to remember is to call the Department for information or assistance.  We will do our best to help resolve these issues with you. 

 

Also, it is very important that if you are owed restitution and have a change of address to contact the Clerk of Courts Office at (319) 833-3331 immediately with the updated information.  If you have not notified them of a change of address and want to check if monies or property are owed to you, you can contact the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt.  Call the State Treasurer’s Office at (515) 281-5368, or you can visit their website at  www.greatiowatreasurehunt.com. 

 

 

 

 

DCS Victim Services

 

Victim Liaison: 

The Victim Liaison is available to assist you with a variety of questions you may have about DCS services, the following victim services programs, and offender information.  Feel free to call (319) 234-1745 during normal business hours.

 

VOIS – Victim/Offender Intervention Services:

VOIS is a voluntary program that provides an opportunity for you to actively participate in dealing with the consequences of the crime committed against you. The goal of the program is for the parties most affected by crime to have an opportunity to address:

1.     what happened;

2.     how it felt when the crime happened;

3.     why it happened; and

4.     what is needed for restitution or reparation.

 

Program services include:

1.     having direct input into Restitution or Reparation Agreements (Reparation Agreements are non-court-ordered program agreements between victims and offenders that are used when restitution has already been resolved),

2.     assistance with referrals or accessing information, and

3.     indirect or direct communication between victim(s) and offender(s). 

 

Many victims and community members who have participated in this program have found the experience to be beneficial. For those interested in direct communication with the offender, a thorough assessment and preparation process is conducted to determine the potential benefits and risks prior to arranging a victim/offender meeting.  If you are interested or have questions about this program, please call the Victim Liaison.

 

Victim Impact Classes/Panels:

 

Victim Impact Classes/Panels engage the assistance of victims/survivors of crime from the community who volunteer to share their personal experience of victimization with offenders by speaking on a panel.  This program is part of a national program developed by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the California Youth Authority. The class covers such topic areas as: property crimes, including theft, burglary, forgery, vandalism, etc.; drugs and the impact on families and communities; crimes against the elderly; child maltreatment; assault; robbery; domestic violence; sexual assault; drunk driving; homicide; gang violence; and hate and bias crimes. 

 

During each session, victims of these types of crimes relate their personal accounts of the impact of the crime on themselves, their families, and their community.  Hearing the stories of real victims may increase an offender’s sense of responsibility for past criminal actions, increase his/her understanding of the long-term impact of crime, and prevent further victimizations.

 

For victims/survivors who speak on panels, this can provide a forum to express their feelings/thoughts resulting from the crime, possibly gain something positive from a devastating experience, and assist in the effort to prevent similar crimes from happening to someone else.

 

Please refer to our brochure for more information about VOIS and Victim Impact Panels.  Or you may contact the Victim Liaison at (319) 234-1745 ext. 306.

 

 

We also provide educational presentations to the community about these types of programs.  Please call us if you are interested in educating others about these services.

 

Restorative Justice

 

Currently, when a crime occurs, the criminal justice system asks these questions:

1.     Who did it?

2.     What laws were broken?

3.     How will we punish the offender?

 

Restorative Justice views crime through a different lens.  It is a philosophy that views crime primarily as a violation of the victim and the community.  It defines accountability for offenders in terms of taking responsibility for their actions, working to repair the harm caused to the victim and the community, and attending to needs that both led to and were created by the offense.  It provides for active participation of the victims, the offender and the community in the process of repairing the fabric of community peace and safety.

 

*If crime is more than lawbreaking, justice must require more than punishing or treating the offender. “I firmly believe that Restorative Justice challenges us to design and administer a system that places the needs of the victims and the harm done by the offending behavior at the center of the process by which we sanction and hold the offender accountable,” Betty Brown, Administrator of Victim and Restorative Justice Programs (OVP), Iowa Department of Corrections.

 

The First Judicial District – Department of Correctional Services is dedicated to the development and implementation of programs and policies that are based on the philosophy of restorative justice.     

 

 

*(Taken from:  Balanced and Restorative Justice Training – Participant’s Guide).

 

 

 

Restorative Justice Task Force

 

In our community, we have developed a Restorative Justice Task Force.  This Task Force consists of community members, victims of crime, and representatives from the criminal justice system, victim services, mental health agencies, the religious community, and other service providers.  Membership is open to the public.

 

The primary goal of the Restorative Justice Task Force is to identify and respond to crime issues in our community with a more restorative approach.  This includes working committees that focus on the development, implementation and evaluation of restorative justice-based programs, and increasing our understanding of the needs of our community.

 

If you are interested in this Task Force, please call the Victim Liaison at (319)234-1745 ext. 306.

 

State of Iowa Department of Corrections’ Office of Victim and Restorative Justice Programs

 

If you are a victim of crime, and the offender is an inmate in one of our prisons or facilities, the Department of Corrections’ Office of Victim and Restorative Justice Programs (OVP) in Des Moines may be a resource for you.  The OVP facilitates victims’ access to the Department by giving them opportunities to participate in decisions concerning an offender’s liberty and providing them support, information and restorative justice-based programs as appropriate.

 

You may call the Office of Victim Programs for information on Restorative Justice-based programs throughout the state of Iowa at 1-800-778-1182.