When a person is convicted of a domestic violence offense and granted probation, the victim’s safety is of upmost importance. Once the client is assigned a Deputy Probation Officer (Probation Officer), they will make every effort to promptly contact the victim. The Probation Officer will also discuss victim safety concerns, resources available to the victim and explain that there are no guarantees the client will not reoffend. After the initial phone contact, the Probation Officer will mail the victim a victim letter, along with their business card, a Victim Information Brochure with available resources and contact information, and a card for the Ventura County Family Justice Center, https://vcfjc.org/.

During the client’s probation grant, the Probation Officer will make reasonable efforts to contact the victim on a regular basis, to obtain information regarding the client’s behavior toward the victim. The Probation Officer will also be responsive to reports from the victim regarding their concerns. The Probation Officer will notify the victim if the client is terminated from the court ordered domestic violence counseling or is being returned to court for violations of his/her probation terms.

Clients are statutorily required to attend a 52-week Batterer’s Intervention Program (BIP), https://venturaprobation.org/services-providers/services-providers-batterer-intervention/ commonly referred to as domestic violence counseling. The trained program counselor will make reasonable efforts to contact the victim separately from the client, both verbally and in writing, within 30 days of the client’s enrollment in counseling. The counselor will also advise the victim of community support services, the client’s probation officer’s name and contact information, and a copy of the client’s contract for BIP. The program will be responsive to any reported victim concerns while the client is in counseling.