NCJ Number
114748
Date Published
1985
Length
103 pages
Annotation
In order to develop a plan in compliance with the new victim/witness protection law, materials from the State Court Administrator's Office, the Florida Victim/Witness Network, and the State Attorney's office were distributed to the over 20 law enforcement agencies in Pinellas County.
Abstract
In addition, the Florida Police Chiefs' Association and the Florida Sheriffs' Association distributed response instruction to all Pinellas County law enforcement agencies. A day-long workshop on the new law was also held for all Pinellas County law enforcement agencies, and a coordinated victim services plan was developed that complied with the new legislation and with existing resources. Under the plan, priority was given to providing services to victims most devastated by the crimes they were involved with: Services were then offered to victims of personal property crime and corporate victims. The new law requires the State Attorney to notify a crime victim of the victim's right to make a statement under oath to the sentencing of a convicted offender. Victims can include direct and indirect costs of the crime as well as emotional, psychological and social harm in their statements. Other guidelines developed to implement the law include instructions for return of a victim's property held for evidentiary reasons, victim restitution, information to be provided to victims and witnesses by law enforcement agencies, notification of the victim's employer, and consultations with the victim or the victim's family regarding physical or emotional injury or trauma.