If you are in danger, call 911. If you need to exit this website quickly, click on the ESCAPE button. This button will immediately open a browser window for weather.com and replace your current window with google.com.
Skip to agency navigation
Skip to main content

Official Website

of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    The .gov means its official.

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 
    Resources

    Court and Legal Support

    Understanding the legal process, which includes the courts criminal and juvenile justice systems, can be very difficult.

    There are three main parts in the legal process: police, courts, and corrections (jails/prisons).

    The victims are represented by the police who investigate the crime, district attorneys who prosecute the offenders and advocates who explain the process of the legal system and ensure the rights of victims of crime. The services of the police, district attorneys, and advocates are all free. 

    You may want to talk with an advocate within a Victim Service Program in your county. This advocate will explain to you what is happening at each step as your case proceeds through either the criminal or juvenile justice systems.