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Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy

Victims’ Rights Compliance Initiative

The Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services and the Maryland State Board of Victim Services recognize that navigating the criminal justice system can be difficult. Many crime victims feel frustrated or overwhelmed, especially if they believe their rights have not been respected.

If you are a crime victim in Maryland, you have legal rights and may be eligible for services provided by state agencies.

Victims’ Rights Compliance Line

Compliance Line: 410-697-9338

Important: This is not an emergency hotline. If you need immediate assistance, call 911.

You may leave a voicemail 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

When you call, please include:

  • Your name
  • Your mailing address
  • A telephone number where you can be reached
  • A brief description of your concerns

How We Can Help

The Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services and the Maryland State Board of Victim Services are committed to helping ensure that crime victims are treated fairly throughout the criminal justice process.

If you believe your rights as a crime victim have been violated or that you have been treated unfairly by the criminal justice system, you may contact the Compliance Line to report your concerns.

A Victim Services Coordinator will review your report and return your call to discuss your concerns. The Coordinator works with criminal justice agencies to help promote compliance with Maryland's victim rights laws.

After reviewing your report, the Coordinator will determine whether additional action is needed. If the issue cannot be resolved, the Coordinator will consult with the Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services and legal counsel, as appropriate, to determine the next steps.

How the Victim Services Coordinator Can Help

The Victim Services Coordinator can:

  • Explain how the criminal justice system works and answer questions about its procedures.
  • Explain Maryland's crime victims' rights laws and how they apply to your situation.
  • Refer you to criminal justice agencies and victim service organizations.
  • Help you participate in the criminal justice process.
  • Review your concerns to determine whether your rights may have been violated or whether you may have been treated unfairly.
  • Present possible victims' rights violations to the Victims' Rights Compliance Review Committee and/or the Maryland State Board of Victim Services for review, when appropriate.
  • Recommend fair and appropriate ways to resolve complaints.
  • Provide guidance and technical assistance to criminal justice agencies to help them meet their responsibilities under Maryland's victims' rights laws.

Scope and Limitations

The Victim Services Coordinator can provide information and assistance, but there are limits to what the Coordinator is authorized to do.

The Coordinator:

  • Is not an attorney and cannot provide legal advice.
  • Cannot interfere with a criminal investigation.
  • Cannot review or change decisions about whether to investigate, charge, prosecute, or otherwise proceed with a criminal case.
  • Cannot change the outcome of court proceedings or other decisions made by the criminal justice system.

You may choose to pursue other options that are available to you. However, neither the Victim Services Coordinator nor the Maryland State Board of Victim Services has the authority to change court decisions or other actions taken by the criminal justice system.