Public Policy

NCVLI is working to secure the next wave of victims’ rights legislation – legislation that guarantees victims substantive rights and the procedural mechanisms to protect those rights in courts.  NCVLI works with partners nationwide to improve victims’ rights in every jurisdiction, providing model legislation, strategic advice, and expert testimony.  NCVLI also works to raise awareness about victims’ rights, through letters to key officials and major media outlets.

Public Policy Highlights

• In 2011, our Director testified before the full U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary as part of Crime Victims’ Rights Week, updating Congress on the state of the nation and highlighting the need for Congress to fulfill its commitment to fund legal services for victims, and before the Oregon State House Judiciary Committee on victim restitution.
• In 2011, we sent a policy memorandum to the Hawaii State Legislature on the propriety of allowing victims to proceed anonymously in civil cases against their perpetrators which aided passage of a new law protective of victims’ identities.
• In 2008, NCVLI helped draft Measures 51 and 52 to make Oregon’s constitutional victims’ rights enforceable.  Oregon voters improved these measures by a 3 to 1 margin.  Then in 2009 NCVLI helped draft the statutory scheme that provides the “how to” of asserting rights in Oregon.
• In 2008, NCVLI aided in the drafting and passage of Proposition 9 (Marsy’s Law), which amended the California state constitution and provides victims with the rights to privacy, participation, and protection, and clear standing to enforce these rights.
• In 2004, NCVLI helped draft and work for passage of the federal Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA), 18 USC § 3771, which created strong and enforceable rights for victims in federal criminal cases. 

The Year Ahead

This year, we will be:

• Working to secure full funding of the CVRA, because full funding is the key to national efforts to enforce victims’ rights.
• Joining in the national call for re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which is the key piece of legislation that protects victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence.
• Joining victim groups nationally to support the Crime Victims Fund Preservation Act of 2009 (s. 1340 and HR 3402).  The Crime Victims Fund is an account of fines and penalties paid by offenders that is used to fund victim services nationwide.  The proposed legislation would ensure that sufficient funding flows to victim service groups so that they can help victims become survivors. 
• Joining victim groups nationwide to support the Witness Security and Protection Grant Act of 2009.  Witness intimidation occurs in many cases and can impede the successful prosecution of offenders.  The proposed legislation would provide funding to develop programs to protect the victim-witnesses.

Links

• Legislative Updates
• Public Policy Letters