two people holding hands with the words 'Information for Victims' written across it

Victim Services

The mission of the Victim Services Division is to provide a central mechanism for crime victims to participate in the Criminal Justice System.

Our promise to victims and their families

The TDCJ Victim Services Division is dedicated to providing direct, personal service to victims and their families throughout Texas, as well as, assisting those outside our state to the best of our ability. It is our goal to assure victims that they are not left behind at the crime scene, but can be involved in all parts of the criminal justice system if desired.

How to contact the Victim Services Division

(800) 848-4284
(512) 406-5900
Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Central Standard Time)
E-mail: victim.svc@tdcj.texas.gov

If you are trying to contact us after business hours, please leave a message and we will contact you as soon as possible.

Upcoming Events/New Services

The TDCJ Victim Services Division is happy to announce an update regarding delaying after-hour notifications, and our newest feature, Blackout Dates!

We have updated our system to delay non-emergency overnight (after-hour) notifications until the next morning. Emergency notifications such as warrant actions, an inmate escape, and recapture will still be sent in real time; however, all other notifications will only be sent between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.
The VSD recognizes that receiving notifications on certain dates, like birthdays and anniversaries, can be difficult and unwanted. By adding these sensitive dates (Blackout Dates) to your registration, we will delay non-emergency notifications until the following day. Emergency notifications as described above will still be sent in real-time on these dates. Blackout Dates can be added on your IVSS (Integrated Victim Services System) portal account. To apply a Blackout Date to all of your registrations select Blackout Dates under your name on the blue ribbon or, if you prefer the Blackout Dates to apply only to a specific offender, you can edit your registration on My Dashboard. You can also contact our hotline at 1-800-848-4284 or email victim.svc@tdcj.texas.gov to request assistance with adding Blackout Dates.
You may also contact our office for assistance with creating an IVSS portal account. The portal allows you to manage your personal information directly. Updates to your information are made in real-time and are available to view immediately. You have the ability to search for limited offender information and helpful resources, register for notifications, see past notifications, and update your preferences for receiving information from VSD through this portal. The portal is accessible through any device with internet capabilities, including desktop computers, mobile phones, and tablets. You have the ability to choose how you receive information from VSD regarding offender status changes. Notifications are available by letter, email, and text message. Some notifications are also available by personal phone call.

To support the continued educational needs of victim services professionals, the Integrated Victim Services System (IVSS) provides information on training/events held in Texas. For more information, search IVSS trainings, events, and webinars.
The TDCJ Victim Services Division is pleased to launch a new Informational Video Library. The library serves as a resource for victim services and criminal justice professionals who wish to receive training and information on specific subjects related to serving victims of crime.
An Electronic Victim Impact Statement (eVIS) created by TDCJ Victim Services Division is now available on the Integrated Victim Services System (IVSS) Portal. The eVIS offers another option for Victim Assistant Coordinators to provide the VIS to victims of violent crime, improve our ability as a criminal justice system to better serve victims, to meet victims where they are, to improve the response rate of completed VISs submitted by victims, and to streamline operations. For instructions on how to create an IVSS account for Justice Officials, and how to initiate and send an eVIS to a victim, please see the eVIS Help Guide.