Assembly Marks National Crime Victims Week With Legislative Action

Multi-bill package emphasizes victims rights and services

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Governmental Operations Committee Chair RoAnn Destito today announced that the house is expected to pass a legislative package aimed at improving treatment and services for crime victims. These measures are being considered in conjunction with a national public awareness week for remembrance, reflection and re-commitment for crime victims April 13 - 19.

Silver noted that while a bulk of the package would be on the floor this week in commemoration of National Crime Victims Week, two of the bills had already passed in the Assembly earlier in the year.

"The Assembly has a long tradition of providing needed services for crime victims and their families. This week reinforces our understanding that crime victims' pain and suffering continues long after the actual crime has been committed," said Silver. "This package ensures victims receive the assistance they need in a faster, more efficient and responsible manner as they try and move on with their lives."

"National Crime Victims Week focuses attention on the victims and away from the perpetrators. This year's theme, 'Justice for Victims. Justice for All.,' is a call to action to ensure that every person who is victimized by crime receives the compassion and support he or she needs to recover," said Destito (D-Rome). "The Assembly Majority has always been a strong advocate for helping victims with available knowledge, education and resources. This legislative package builds on our mission to provide necessary tools for individuals to rebuild their lives."

Provisions of the package would focus on improving knowledge, training and resources of New York State's Crime Victims Board (CVB), law enforcement and court officials who deal with crime victims. These measures will:

• Create a victims' assistance program where each CVB member would be required to take a course in CV assistance (A.846/Destito);
• Permit courts to direct anti-trust fines to be paid to the CVB (A.931/Destito);
• Require a minimum of 15 hours of training and instruction for all police officers and attorneys employed in the district attorney's office with respect to crimes involving sexual assault. This bill also would require the Office of Court Administration to provide training to judges and justices at the New York State Judicial Institute with respect to these crimes. (A.2419/DelMonte);and
• Require a CVB member to have expertise in elder law (A.6204/Englebright).

Another bill aimed at reducing financial hardships for crime victims, A.2656, sponsored by Assemblyman Ruben Diaz, Jr. (D-Bronx), would allow parents and guardians who experience loss of earnings due to the hospitalization of a child victim to be eligible for a crime victim's award. Another bill(A.6675), sponsored by Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn), makes crime victims eligible for reimbursement for transportation costs for necessary appearances.

Destito added that she also sponsored legislation (A.1110), to reduce administrative red tape by changing the reporting requirements relative to restitution and fair-treatment standards from annual to every two years.

"This package of bills responds to specific and repeated concerns voiced by crime victims in New York State. We must ensure laws and support programs are in place to provide services and support. This will also raise public awareness about the rights and needs of crime victims," added Silver.