If
you have ever been a victim of a
crime or a witness to one, you know
that the experience can be devastating.
The Victim Witness program is there
to assist you through the criminal
justice system. Victim Witness provides
on-scene response, death notifications,
notification of victims of defendant's
release or court status, assistance
as trial advocates explaining the
court process and accompanying victims
and witnesses to trial. Victim Witness
also debriefs groups of people who
have been affected by a crisis or
disaster.
The
Pima County Attorney's Victim Witness
Program, established in 1975, was
the first in the country to provide
comprehensive assistance to victims
of crimes. It has served as a model
for other programs all across this
country and in several foreign countries.
The program has grown from a staff
of two who did on-scene assistance
on Friday and Saturday nights, to
a staff of 25 paid and 120 volunteer
workers who are on call 24 hours
a day, seven days a week.
This
early beginning gave the citizens
of Pima County a head start over
the rest of the state. It was only
recently that the Arizona Constitution
was amended to guarantee that a victim
will be treated with dignity and
respect. Now everyone in the state
enjoys the rights that our Pima County
residents have taken for granted.
Victims
have the right to be present at all
court proceedings, the right to express
opinions to the court and the right
to confer with the prosecutor regarding
the disposition of the case. They
have the right to know of the defendant's
release status. Victim Witness, in
conjunction with the prosecutors
in the office, ensure these rights
are enforced.
Our
Victim Witness staff and volunteers
have been called upon to work with
the victims of the September 11th
Terrorist attacks, the Oklahoma City
bombing of the federal building,
victims of the war and genocide in
Bosnia and other local and national
tragedies. Victim Witness makes more
than 16,000 victim contacts each
year and helps more than 5,000 people
at crisis scenes.
Directly
Contacting the Victim Witness Program:
Victim/Witness Program
Pima County Attorney's Office
Victim Witness Program Director
32 North Stone Ave. 14th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701
Phone (520)
740-5525
Fax (520) 628-7306
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