Victims' addresses and phone numbers must also be kept confidential in the court's file. Victims of family violence and stalking have the right to be informed of a perpetrator's release from custody. In certain instances, law enforcement officials may hold perpetrators for an additional number of hours to allow the victims and their families to take safety precautions. In cases of sexual assault, victims are allowed to have a pseudonym to protect their identity. In addition, law enforcement agencies must pay for the gathering of forensic evidence.
Victims also have rights during court proceedings.
However, judges may bar a victim from the court if the victim is going to testify in the case. Victims also have the right to have separate waiting areas at court, to meet with parole board members and to witness executions. Victims have the right to be heard through impact statements at sentencing and trial hearings as well as through an oral statement to the court and the defendant. These statements allow the victims, or their families, to address how the crime has affected their lives. Victims are also entitled to have the court consider restitution for the crime.