NCJ Number
73665
Date Published
Unknown
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Ways in which the California District Attorneys Association can improve victim services are suggested.
Abstract
The victim is the forgotten person in a system which focuses first on the crime and then on the offender. In an offender-oriented system, the victim is only one of many possible trial witnesses. Courts could, however, inform victim-witnesses what to expect. Coordination could be improved so that victims need not necessarily tell their stories repeatedly, to police, several prosecutors, and then to the court. Victims should also be better informed of court scheduling. In most courts, all witnesses in any case expected to be heard on a given day are subpoenaed to appear at the same early hour, yet the case might not be heard that day due to over-scheduling, continuances, or a 'trialing problem.' Efficient use of court resources requires victim-witnesses to be available when a case is actually called, but victims could be alerted by telephone. A Marquette University study based on surveys of 1,775 crime victims and 1,225 witnesses revealed that victims of crime would generally rather 'cut their losses' than cooperate with police and testify in court, because of fear of reprisals and time lost from the job through court testimony. The study suggests that counties should create 'citizen justice advocates' to help victims and witnesses, particularly by improving scheduling procedures to cut down lost time. In addition, either advocates or prosecutors should help victims and witnesses with problems, such as fear of reprisal. Moreover, victims and witnesses should be paid fees to compensate for lost pay and travel costs in addition to the nominal expenses they now get for testifying. Furthermore, a Violent Crime Victim Compensation Act should be enacted to ensure that victim compensation is established as a right rather than a 'welfare' service for indigent victims. Footnotes are provided.