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Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance (2005)

NCJ Number
210461
Date Published
May 2005
Length
75 pages
Annotation
This guide presents the United States Attorney General's guidelines governing victim and witness assistance.
Abstract
The many provisions for crime victims' rights and remedies are presented, including the Justice for All Act of 2004, which was enacted since the publication of the last edition of this guide. Following a brief foreword by the U.S. Attorney General, the guide presents the suggested provisions for victims' rights, considerations for child victims and child witnesses, general considerations, guidelines applicable to all components, services to victims and witnesses, restitution, and guidelines for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, terrorism, other mass causalities, human trafficking, and identity theft. The guidelines are meant to provide internal Department of Justice guidance and do not create any rights or standards enforceable by law. Among the rights provided to victims of crime include the right to reasonable protection from the accused, the right to reasonable and timely notification on aspects of the case, and the right to full and timely restitution. The statutory framework for restitution is laid out and includes guidance on mandatory and discretionary restitution and on restitution as a condition of probation. Services to victims at the three main criminal justice phases, investigative, prosecution, and corrections, are enumerated, including guidelines on notification of case events, protection from harassment, and victim impact statements. Guidelines governing child victims incorporate suggestions on privacy protections and on prosecutions involving child witnesses.