I have financial losses and additional expenses as a result of the crime. Can I be reimbursed for my losses and expenses?
"Restitution" is money paid by the offender to the victim to cover financial losses. Such financial losses include the value of any stolen property, medical expenses, and wages or profits lost by the victim or by the parents or guardians of a victim who is a minor. The California Constitution requires that the court order a convicted person to pay restitution to the victim. At the time the convicted person is sentenced (for a juvenile this is during the dispositional hearing), the judge will order him or her to pay you for losses caused by the crime. You are permitted to request interest at the rate of 10 percent per year. The parents of a juvenile offender are legally responsible for the restitution to the victim. (See Welf. & Inst. Code, §§ 730.6 and 730.7 and Pen. Code, § 1202.4 for more information.)
There is also a state-managed victim restitution fund, the Victim Compensation Program, to assist victims of crime. The money in the fund comes from persons convicted of crimes. To receive payment from the fund, you must apply within one year of the crime (minors can apply within a year after they turn 18). You must also cooperate with law enforcement agencies and provide written proof of your losses and expenses.

I would like to attend the hearings. What hearing can I attend? Can I bring a support person with me?
As a victim you are entitled to attend the juvenile court hearings that deal with your case, and you should receive notice of the hearings. Inform the county's probation department that you want to attend. Victims are allowed to bring up to two support people. However, any party to the case, including the offender, can prohibit the victim and the support people from attending. If you are excluded from the hearing, you can still express your views, in a reasonable way, by submitting a victim impact statement. (See Welf. & Inst. Code, §§ 656.2 and 676.5 and Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1410(e)(2) for more information.)

What will happen at the hearing?
At the dispositional hearing, if the judge ruled that the youth committed the offense, the judge will impose sanctions on him or her. Sanctions may include the following:

• Restitution to you;
• Payment of a fine by the youth (funds will go to the state victim restitution fund);
• Community service performed by the youth for the benefit of the community;
• Limitations on the youth's liberty imposed as a condition of probation or parole (this may include probation with formal supervision and/or placement outside the youth's home);
• Commitment of the youth to a local detention or treatment facility, such as a juvenile hall, camp, or ranch;
• Commitment of the youth to Juvenile Justice, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).

I do not want to or I am unable to attend the hearings but still would like information about what happened. How do I get this information?
If you do not want to attend any of the court hearings, you can still be informed of the final disposition of the case, including the restitution order. Ask the county's probation department to let you know. You should be informed by letter within 60 days of the case's final disposition.

I am afraid of the offender. Is there any way I can get a restraining order when he or she is released from custody?
The court may issue "no contact" orders or restraining orders preventing the offender from having contact with the victim. Additionally, you may be able to get a restraining order through a civil procedure.

I am interested in becoming more involved in the case. What can I do to let the offender know how this affected my life?
Many counties have programs that give you the opportunity to tell the offender how the crime affected you. You can do this by writing a statement that you or an advocate read in court or the probation officer can forward to the offender. Another possibility is a facilitated dialog with the offender, such as supervised victim-offender mediation. The choice to participate is entirely up to you. It is against the law for your address or telephone number to be given to the offender. (Pen. Code, § 841.5.) State law, section 742(b) of the Welfare and Institutions Code, states that victims of juvenile offenders must be informed of any victim-offender conferencing program or victim impact class available in the county. Victim impact classes give victims an opportunity to express, when they are ready, how the crime affected their lives to a small group of offenders. The youth responsible for the offense in which you were involved will not be in the class.