Bureau of Victim Assistance

The Bureau of Victim Assistance (BOVA) was established to provide statewide assistance to victims of crime. The journey through the justice system can be traumatic, especially for victims of crime. BOVA offers victims and their loved ones a single point of contact they can turn to before and after their offender is sentenced.

Services provided by our advocates are listed below

  • Assistance obtaining victims’ rights
  • Assistance with the Crime Victim Compensation Application
  • Criminal justice and court related services
  • Crisis intervention
  • Information about the Mississippi Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights
  • General information and referral to appropriate victim service providers
  • Notification of Court of Appeals and Supreme Court decisions
  • Personal advocacy and support services
  • Victim Advocacy

If you have questions or need assistance, contact us at victimassistance@ago.ms.gov.

Victim Advocates

Our advocates can help crime victims and their families through this difficult experience. Our goal is to help victims understand the judicial process, advocate for their rights, and maintain contact, ensuring they are informed on matters pertaining to their case. For information on how to obtain these services, contact us at 1-800-829-6766.

Assistance provided includes court accompaniment, investigation and case updates, and notifications mandated by the Mississippi Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights.

View a video presentation of your rights by the staff of the Attorney General’s Office here.

You can also read more in our Crime Victims Guide.

Find Your Advocate

Advocates are located across Mississippi, and they stand ready to assist.

Northern District Advocate: Vanessa Wilbert

Central District Advocate: Maya Edwards

Southern District Advocate: Gwendolynn Santos

Victim Advocates By Region 

If you have any additional questions, please speak to your advocate or contact us at victimassistance@ago.ms.gov.

Helpful Links 

Mississippi Victim Services Resource Directory

Mississippi Victim Services Resource Directory 

Victim Services By County 

Victim Compensation

The Victim Compensation Program provides financial assistance to innocent victims of violent crime and their eligible family members. The Program helps to reduce the financial burden resulting from a violent crime by reimbursing eligible victims/family members for their crime-related expenses not covered by any other benefit source (insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, disability/death benefits, Workers’ Compensation, etc.). Limitations do apply. You can read more about this program here.

The program brochure is also available in Spanish and Vietnamese.

Eligible applicants may be reimbursed for crime related expenses associated with:

  • medical/dental treatment
  • rehabilitation
  • mental health services
  • lost wages
  • loss of support (dependent[s] of homicide victim)
  • tuition loss
  • funeral costs
  • limited transportation costs
  • repair/replacement of exterior windows, doors, and locks damaged during a crime,
  • domestic violence temporary housing and relocation
  • crime scene cleanup

The Crime Victim Compensation Application can be found here and the optional Victim Compensation Contact Request form can be found here.

The Crime Victim Compensation Application is also available in Spanish and Vietnamese. 

Helpful Links

FAQs

Provider's Application Status Request

Sexual Assault Payment Policy

Mississippi Administrative Code: Title 3, Part 1

Crime Victims Guide

Sexual Assault Examinations

Pursuant to Miss. Code Ann. § 99-37-25, the bill for a medical forensic examination and the preparation of the sexual assault evidence collection kit will be sent to the Office of the Attorney General, Division of Victim Compensation. No bill for the examination will be submitted to the victim, nor shall the medical facility hold the victim responsible for payment.

The Attorney General’s Office Sexual Assault Payment Policy can be found here.

In 2022 and 2023, Attorney General Lynn Fitch worked with Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners and other stakeholders to update the 15-year-old Sexual Assault Forensic Examination kits in line with advanced technology. The new kits reduce the number of steps in the evidence collection process from 21 to 9, reducing the duration of the evidence collection and trauma to the victim.

These new forms can be found here:

Prepubescent Exam Acute Less Than or Equal to 72 Hours
Adolescent-Adult Acute Less Than or Equal to 120 Hours
Appendix: MS Sexual Assault Kit Guidelines

The older forms can be found here should you need to access those:

Child/Adolescent Sexual Assault Exam Form Acute Less Than or Equal to 72 Hours
Child/Adolescent Less Than 18 YOA Sexual Assault Exam Form Non Acute Greater Than 72 Hours
Adolescent/Adult Sexual Assault Exam Form Acute Less Than/Equal To 72 Hours

Also, in 2023, the Mississippi Legislature passed HB 485, establishing protocols for collection, processing, and tracking of Sexual Assault Forensic Examination kits to improve transparency for victims and increase the likelihood of thorough investigations and successful prosecutions of sexual assault cases in Mississippi.  HB 485 also added new rights to the Mississippi Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights specific to victims of sexual assault.  Those rights can be found in this brochure.

Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters Disability Benefits Trust Fund

The Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters Disability Benefits Trust Fund was created by the Mississippi Legislature to provide disability benefits to law enforcement officers and fire fighters injured in the line of duty. For a full overview of the program, view Mississippi Administrative Code: Title 3. Part 2.

See links to each application below

If you have any questions about this program, please contact us at LEOFFFund@ago.ms.gov or 601-359-6766.

Helpful Links

Return to work sample letter

Re-Certification form

Law Enforcement and Firefighter Benefits and Resources 

Interpersonal/Domestic Violence

A Domestic Abuse Protection Order is a specific kind of restraining order available to individuals who are victims of domestic abuse, including physical violence, threats of physical violence, stalking, or sexual assault.

Resources:

Petitions and Orders:

Service of Process:

My office also created a few documents to provide guidance for survivors and their friends and family.

See brochures below

If you have any additional questions, or if you wish to speak to a victim advocate, please contact us at victimassistance@ago.ms.gov.

Useful Links
  • VineLink: This free service allows crime victims and concerned citizens to obtain timely and reliable information about criminal cases and the custody status of offenders 24 hours a day. Please click here to register for this service. Victims and other concerned citizens can register to be notified by phone, email, text message (SMS) or TTY device when an offender’s custody status changes. VINELink mobile app is now available by accessing their website. This service is provided by the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
  • Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline: The Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services provides a toll free hotline (1-800-222-8000) and online access for reporting child abuse and neglect.
  • National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: The NCMEC “get help now” page includes information on reporting a missing child, reporting tips to help find a missing child, and a cyber tipline for information on children being exploited online.
  • Mental Health Helpline: For more information about services or if you or a loved one needs help, call the Mississippi Department of Mental Health’s Helpline at 1-877-210-8513 or visit the helpline web page.
  • Suicide Prevention Lifeline: The Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.
  • Veterans Crisis Line: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs runs a crisis line for veterans in need of help.  You can connect with caring, qualified responders, many of whom are veterans themselves, by calling 1-800-273-8255 (Press 1) or chatting online.
  • National Human Trafficking Hotline: If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, call 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BEFREE (233733)
  • Victims of Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation Fund: In 2020, the Mississippi Legislature established the Victims of Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation Fund in order to provide funding for direct service providers who serve victims of sex and labor trafficking. Miss. Code Ann. §97-3-54.11. The fund is funded by, among other things, assessments for certain criminal convictions and legislative appropriations. The funding solicitation for 2023 was released on September 18 and will close at 5:00 pm on October 30, 2023.


Teri Gleason,
Bureau of Victim’s Assistance (BOVA)

Teri was born in Dallas, Texas prior to her family moving to Jackson in 1965.  Teri attended St. Andrew’s Episcopal School and Jackson Prep. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1986.  Teri was a paralegal at Heidelberg & Woodliff in Jackson until 1995 when she was accepted to Mississippi College School of Law, where she earned her Juris Doctor degree in 1998.  Teri has enjoyed a thirty year legal career, and as a lawyer has represented individual clients in need as well as corporations, law enforcement and governmental entities.

Teri is a member of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Ralph Humphreys Chapter in Jackson, Mississippi, where she has served as Regent since 2018.  Teri is married to Jay Stigler from Greenwood, Mississippi. They live in Madison with their two puppies, Angus and Annabelle.

Contact Us
601.359.3680
P.O. Box 220, Jackson MS 39205
550 High Street, Jackson MS 39201