Contact: Jessica Morkert-Shibley, Communications Coordinator 971-563-3735
Multnomah County, Oregon - Multnomah County now has an online resource that provides important and easily accessible information for victims of crime. Case Companion is a public website that offers information about an offender’s status, who to talk to for support and how to stay informed after a case is done.
In its current version, Case Companion focuses on keeping crime victims connected from the moment an offender makes contact with the district attorney’s office through the end of their involvement with the criminal justice system. The website provides frequently asked questions as the offender moves through the criminal justice system, who to talk to for support; how to stay informed and offender status information (post-conviction). Victims' privacy would be protected, and they would be allowed to identify what type of information they want to receive and modify their preferences throughout their experience.
“It’s not done just because a case is done,” said Susan Walters, local crime victims’ rights advocate. “The system itself will have road signs to help navigate that journey. It’s painful and there’s no way anyone can make it pain-free, but by having support, it makes it easier.”
Case Companion was built by Code for America in collaboration with the Multnomah County Department of Community Justice, Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, the Oregon Department of Corrections, the National Crime Victim Law Institute, the Oregon Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision and feedback from victims.
“Support for crime victims can often be fragmented between agencies,” said Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill. “Case Companion is a tremendous step toward empowering crime victims to get the information and support they deserve.“
Case Companion will continue to evolve and provide more features based on crime victim feedback.
How to use Case Companion
To search offender status and find support, visit https://casecompanion.org/