Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne Recognizes Crime Victims' Rights
Week
Father of Elizabeth Smart to Speak at Event Honoring Victims and Those
Working to Protect Them
Phoenix, AZ (Monday, April 22, 2013) –
Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne is today announcing the kick-off
of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year’s theme, New
Challenges. New Solutions., celebrates the spirit of those who have
worked (and continue to work) in the area of victims’ rights, while also
recognizing the courage and resilience of those who have been victim to
a crime.
“The Arizona Attorney General’s Office is dedicated to a system of
justice that is inclusive of crime victims and will remain vigilant in
striving to provide the most efficient and effective service to the
people of Arizona,” said Attorney General Tom Horne. “With the tragic
events that unfolded in Boston last week, it is important to work with a
sense of urgency to track down and punish criminals, but even more
important to remember, honor and fight, on behalf of the victims as they
try to heal, get closure and move on.”
On Tuesday, April 23, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, alongside
the Governor’s Office, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, Arizona
Department of Corrections, Department of Juvenile Corrections, and other
organizations will host a luncheon to honor victims and those who work
to seek justice on their behalf. The luncheon begins at 11 AM at
Stand Up Live located in downtown Phoenix and will feature Keynote
speaker Ed Smart, the father of Elizabeth Smart, who at the age of 14
was abducted while sleeping in her family home and held against her will
for nine months.
In 1990, Arizona voters approved the Victims’
Rights Amendment to the Arizona Constitution. This was a landmark
achievement that affords all victims of crime the opportunity to have a
participatory role in the criminal justice system and also extends
certain protections of law to victims during their involvement with
those processes.
Arizona victims’ rights law provides that victims have the right to
receive timely notice of criminal proceedings in their cases. Victims
have the right to be present in the courtroom during all proceedings
involving the defendant. The Victim’s Bill of Rights and related
statutes ensure that victims are provided the opportunity to be heard at
release, plea, and sentencing proceedings. These laws also provide for
the safety of victims throughout the criminal justice process as well as
their interest in avoiding unreasonable delays, their claims for
restitution, and to be treated with dignity and respect.
Prior to passage of the Victims’ Bill of Rights in 1990, which amended
the Arizona Constitution to include victims’ rights, Arizona’s crime
victims had few rights. Victims had no access to crime victim
compensation and received limited services to help rebuild their lives.
Crime victims were often excluded from courtrooms and denied an
opportunity to speak at sentencing.
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office of Victims Services (OVS) supports
a range of programs for crime victims and seeks to ensure that crime
victims’ rights are protected throughout the criminal justice process.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week also serves as a reminder that many
challenges remain. The criminal justice system is sometimes
confusing and overwhelming for victims. And only a small
percentage of victims are fully restored financially through
restitution. Advocates also face a host of new challenges as
they strive to provide culturally competent services for increasingly
diverse populations (e.g., seniors, teens, immigrant populations) and
victims of new crime trends (e.g., trafficking and technology-related
stalking and identity theft). In the face of these challenges, and as
funding sources decrease, providers must target their services even more
strategically.
For more details on victims’ rights and victims’ rights week, please
visit our website at: www.azag.gov.
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