Victim Assistance Program 

Our mission is to involve victims and the community in a restorative process that diminishes the devastating impact of crime.

The Constitution of South Carolina, Article 1, Section 24 gives victims of crime specific rights. With these fundamental rights in mind, our program provides comprehensive services to victims and witnesses of crimes with a particular emphasis on serious crimes against persons such as harassment, stalking, assault, criminal domestic violence, and rape. These services include but are not limited to:

• Informing victims of their case status and progress;
• Performing advocate duties for victims within the criminal justice system;
• Assisting victims in recovering property damaged or stolen when possible:obtaining restitution;
• Assisting with applications to the South Carolina State Office of Victim Assistance for compensation for medical, counseling, or funeral expenses incurred as a result of the criminal act;            
• Preparing victims for pending court hearings by informing them of relevant court procedures;
• Offering accompaniment and transportation to court hearings;
• Involving victims as much as possible in the decision-making process in the criminal justice system;
• Referring to community resources to further assist victims of crime;
• Assisting victims of violence in obtaining restraining orders and creating safety plans.

Our program is accessible to the general public through a police officer referral or a self referral by person who has been the victim of a crime which occurred within the city limits of the City of Walterboro. Our certified Victim Assistance Program Coordinator works one-on-one with the crime victim and/or family members through each step of the criminal justice system to provide crisis intervention, emotional support, information, and resource referrals.

The victim advocate for the City of Walterboro, Allison Standiford, is available 24-hours a day on an emergency basis as dispatched and during our regular business hours of  8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday at her office located in City Hall next to the Walterboro Police Department's Dispatch area at 843-549-1811. 

If you are a victim of a crime and need assistance, information, and/or referral, please do not hesitate to contact us or one of these agencies for assistance:

CODA               (800) 868-2632

SOVA               (800) 220-5370           

DSS                 (843) 549-1894

SCVAN             (888) 852-1900

For further information on the Victim's Assistance Program click here.