WHO’S

THAT?
In Criminal Court
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You’ll probably see a lot of different
people. This guide explains what
their jobs are.

There’s a section in the back where

you can write down the names and
numbers of important contacts.

There are also some tips on what to

do if you have to go to court, and
some information about your rights.

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4
POLICE

A police officer’s job is to enforce laws to

protect public safety. When someone reports a
crime, the police investigate it, which includes
interviewing victims (people who were
harmed) and witnesses (people who saw or
heard or have information about the crime), to
find out what happened. Sometimes they arrest
people who they think may have broken the
law. As part of their investigation, they might
ask you questions about what you saw, heard,
or experienced.

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VICTIM ADVOCATE

The victim advocate’s job is to help you. You

can ask them all your questions about the case
and what’s happening, including things you’re
worried or confused about. They can also offer
emotional support, information, help connecting
with other services and planning for your safety.

They can also advocate for you with other adults

involved in your case, which means they can
stand up for you. If you have to go to court, they
might come with you to provide support, if you
want them to.

If you don’t have a victim advocate and would like

one, ask one of the adults involved in your case
about how you can get one.

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7
DEFENDANT

If the police arrest someone they believe broke

the law, this person is called “the defendant”
in the case because they have the chance
to defend themselves in court. They are
sometimes also called “the perpetrator.”

Who is the defendant in your case?

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JUDGE

The judge is the person in charge of the

courtroom. They listen to everyone in court,
and make sure everyone follows the rules
of the court. When there is a jury, the jury
decides if the person is guilty or not guilty.
When there is no jury, the judge decides.
If someone is found guilty, the judge will
decide on the “sentence,” or what that
person has to do next.

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JURY

The jury is made up of members of the

community who listen to all of the information
presented in court and decide if there is enough
proof that a defendant committed the crimes
they’re charged with (“guilty”) or not (“not
guilty”). If you testify in court, they will listen to
what you say to help them decide.

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PROSECUTOR

Prosecutors (sometimes called “DAs” or “District

Attorneys”) are lawyers who represent the
community. If someone broke the rules or made
other people unsafe, the prosecutor’s job is to
make them stop so everyone is safer.

They decide whether to go through with

(or “prosecute”) a case. They might ask you
questions about your experience so they
can understand what happened. If the case goes
to court, they will try to convince the jury or
judge that the defendant is guilty. If you’re asked
to testify, they might ask you questions again in
court so that the judge and jury can hear from
you directly. Even though the prosecutor may be
working on your case, they are not there to be
your lawyer.

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DEFENSE ATTORNEY

The defense attorney is the defendant’s lawyer

and works only for them. They will interview
witnesses and represent the defendant in court.
Their job is to help the defendant. In the US,
every defendant has the right to a lawyer.

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COURT OFFICER

The court officer makes sure everyone in the

courthouse is safe. They may go to the courtroom
with a witness to support them.

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COURT REPORTER

The court reporter’s job is to take notes on

everything people say in the courtroom so there
is a record of it.

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INTERPRETER

If someone in court doesn’t speak or understand

English well, or is deaf or hard of hearing, the
court provides interpreters to help them.

If you need an interpreter, ask your victim

advocate or one of the adults in the case about
how to get one.

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PROBATION OFFICER

When someone is found guilty of a crime but not

sent to prison, they are usually given rules they have
to follow as part of their “probation.” The probation
officer’s job is to meet with them regularly to make
sure they are doing those things.

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PAROLE OFFICER

When someone is released from prison, they may

have to meet with a parole officer regularly, who
makes sure they follow all the rules and do all the
things the court told them to.

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VICTIM
A victim is someone who was harmed by a crime.

WITNESS
A witness is someone who saw or heard the
crime, or who has other information about what
happened.

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YOU

Your story is one piece of the puzzle. Your job is

to show up, answer questions, and tell what you
know and remember about what happened.

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THE COURTROOM.

Many of these people work in the court.

At some point, you might have to go to court, too.

It can help to understand who will be there and

where they will be sitting. Ask your advocate or
one of the adults working with you on this case to
show you using the drawing below.

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23
COPING WITH COURT.

Going to court can be stressful, but there are

things you can do to feel a little more in control.
These tips come from other teens, who said
these were the things that helped them most.

Getting ready.

• Try to get lots of sleep the night before.

• Eat something before you go to court. It will

help you feel better and have the energy to
get through the day.

• You don’t have to dress up, but wear

something nice if you can. Something that
makes you feel good and helps you feel
confident.

• You’ll probably spend a lot of time waiting,

so bring something to read, play, or do while
you wait. Some teens suggest listening to
music, reading, drawing, writing in a journal,
or doing homework.

• If you have a special object that helps you

feel calm, bring it with you. Some teens like
things like a stress ball you can squeeze,

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 but others like more personal things like a
special lucky charm.

Getting nervous.

If you feel nervous, try one of these things:

• Try to picture how you want the day to go,

and how you will react if different things
happen. It may sound silly, but picturing
things can help you feel calmer.

• Try taking deep breaths from your belly in

and out a few times. It really helps!

• Tighten your muscles and then relax them.

Do this a few times.

• If you can, take a walk, dance, run, jump or

move your body to get rid of some of your
extra energy. You can also try walking really
fast for a few seconds, then taking a deep
breath and walking really slowly for a few
seconds, then going fast then slow, fast then
slow a few more times.

• If you have a special prayer or song that is

important to you, try saying or singing it,
either out loud, or in your head.

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Getting support.

• Think about who you can talk to about how

you’re feeling and who can support you in
court.

• Is there an advocate, friend, or family

member who can come to court? If so,
you can look at them if and when you get
nervous.

• If you have a therapist, talk to them before

and after court.

Getting through it.

It can feel good to do something nice when it’s

over, like watch a movie you love, eat a favorite
meal, or just spend some time with a friend.
Think of something to look forward to.

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27
YOU HAVE RIGHTS!

Did you know that, if you’re involved in a case

going through criminal court anywhere in the
United States, you have rights? Don’t be afraid
to ask for them.

You may have different rights, depending on your

role in the case.

If you saw, heard, or know something about a

crime that is part of the case, you are a witness.
If you were harmed by a crime that is part of the
case, you are a victim of the crime, and you are
also a witness.

RIGHTS YOU HAVE EITHER WAY:

You have the right to be treated with respect.

You have the right to feel safe.

• Nobody has the right to scare you into

saying (or not saying) something in court or
to convince you not to call the police or go
to court. It’s against the law and there are
consequences if someone does that.

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• If this happens, or if anyone tries to talk to
you about your case outside of court in
a way that makes you uncomfortable, tell
your advocate or the lawyers on the case
right away.

• You have the right to protections to help you

feel safe. Depending on your situation, they
can include:

• A police escort for when you go to court

and when you go home

• An “Order of Protection” that says the

person accused of the crime can’t talk
to you or go to your home or school

• Things to make your home more safe,

like changing locks

• Help finding a safe place to live

DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE, YOU MAY

HAVE EVEN MORE RIGHTS!

If you have questions, or your rights have been

violated, talk to your advocate, the prosecutor,
or one of the other adults working on your case
right away.

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VICTIMS’ RIGHTS

If you are a victim, you have additional rights.

You have the right to...

1. ...have your voice heard and to say what

happened to you.

 his could include making a “victim impact

T
statement” to let the people making
decisions about the case know how what
happened affected you.

2. ...understand what’s happening and what

the next steps are.

This includes knowing who is involved in your

case and what kinds of help and resources
you can get.

And it means you can ask as many questions

as you want to until you understand.

3. ...understand what the people involved in

your case are saying and doing.

If you want to speak in a different language,

let your advocate know. You can ask for an
interpreter or to have important documents
translated into your language.

If you have a disability or something is making

it hard to understand what’s going on, tell

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 your advocate right away. You have the right
to an interpreter to help you understand
what people are saying in court and other
meetings. See the section about disabilities
on the next page for more information.

4. ...get updates about your case.

Ask your advocate and the lawyers for any

updates on what’s happening in court and
about any decisions that are made.

5. …go to all court hearings and proceedings,

if you want to.

Cases can take a long time and you don’t

have to go to every hearing. But if you want to
go, you can.

6. …privacy.

This means that in most cases, the court can’t

share your personal information like your
name and address.

And it means you don’t have to talk to

anyone outside the court system about what
happened if you don’t want to.

5. …apply for money to cover costs related to

what happened.

Costs that can be covered include (but aren’t

limited to) things like counseling, medical

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 bills and insurance co-pays for treatment,
relocation expenses, funeral expenses, and
lost wages from missing work.

You have to meet some requirements to

qualify, so talk to your advocate or the
prosecutor about applying.

If you’re approved, you’ll have to show

receipts to get reimbursed. You won’t get the
money up front.

8. ...a speedy trial.

The court process has a lot of steps and what

counts as “speedy” might be slower than you
think. The whole process can take a year or
longer.

9. ...have any of your stuff that’s taken for the

case be returned to you.

If your things are taken as evidence, it might

take longer to get back.

DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE, YOU MAY

HAVE EVEN MORE RIGHTS!

If you have questions, or your rights have been

violated, talk to your advocate, the prosecutor,
or one of the other adults working on your case
right away.
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If you have a disability…

You ALWAYS have the right to understand what’s

going on with your case and what the people
working on it are saying and doing. You also
always have the right to express what happened
and how you feel. This means you can get
support so people can understand you.

You should always be able to get to (and around)

the court or any other place you have to go for a
meeting.

Let the people working on your case – like your

advocate, caseworkers, lawyers, and judge –
know about your disability and what you need
help with right away. Your advocate may need to
make a separate request for assistance at each
court date and meeting, so don’t be afraid to
keep asking!

You can ask for help to address your needs. You

have this right under the law, and you can say
you need “reasonable accommodations.”

Examples include (but aren’t limited to):

• A sign language interpreter (for non-

American sign language, ask for a Certified
Deaf Interpreter, also called CDI)

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 • An interpreter who can type everything that’s
being said for you (called Communication
Access Real Time or CART services)

• A transliterator to make sure people around

you understand what you have to say

• Different kinds of aids like hearing devices,

captioned videos, and visual aids

• Wheelchair access or accessibility for any

kind of physical disability

There are many more accommodations you can

ask for that aren’t on this list! Talk to your advocate
to find the right ones for you. And don’t be afraid
to ask.

If your parent or guardian has a disability,

they have the right to request reasonable
accommodations, too.

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WHO’S WHO?
If you want, you can keep track of the people
working on your case here.

POLICE OFFICER
Name:
Contact info:

PROSECUTOR:
Name:
Contact Info:

VICTIM ADVOCATE:
Name:
Contact Info:

JUDGE:
Name:
Contact Info:

SOCIAL WORKER/THERAPIST:
Name:
Contact Info:

OTHER:
Name:
Contact Info:

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The Center for Court Innovation’s Child Witness Materials Project is a
collaborative effort between the Center for Court Innovation and the
Center for Urban Pedagogy, and is supported by cooperative agreement
#2016-VF-GX-K011, awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office
of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime. The opinions, findings,
and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this document are
those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official
position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Center for Court Innovation works to create a more effective and
humane justice system by performing original research and helping
launch reforms around the world.
www.courtinnovation.org
The Center for Urban Pedagogy is a nonprofit organization that uses the
power of design and art to increase meaningful civic engagement, in
partnership with historically marginalized communities.
www.welcometoCUP.org
Illustration: Ryan Hartley-Smith
Design: Anabelle Pang
The Center for Court Innovation is grateful to the project partners
and stakeholders; and the children, caregivers, and justice system
practitioners all over the country who contributed to the development
of this product.

NCJ 300651
The Office for Victims of Crime is committed to enhancing
the Nation’s capacity to assist crime victims and to providing
leadership in changing attitudes, policies, and practices to
promote justice and healing for all victims of crime.
www.ovc.ojp.gov
The Office of Justice Programs is a federal agency that provides
federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and
other resources to improve the Nation’s capacity to prevent
and reduce crime, assist victims, and enhance the rule of law by
strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. Its six
program offices—the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of
Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office for
Victims of Crime, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing,
Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking—support
state and local crime-fighting efforts, fund thousands of victim
service programs, help communities manage sex offenders,
address the needs of youth in the system and children in danger,
and provide vital research and data.