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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 1985.05.23 - 11081April 16, 1985 MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION _jaw_ BY: PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE, James E. Lanni, Chairperson IN RE: ESTABLISHMENT OF A VICTIM-WITNESS UNIT IN THE OAKLAND COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE TO THE OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS: Mr. Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen: T.77777715, the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime made the following specific recommendations with respect to prosecutors: 1. Prosecutors should assume ultimate responsibility for informing victims of the status of a case from the time of the initial charging decision to determinations of parole. 2. Prosecutors have an obligation to bring to the attention of the court the views of victims of violent crime on bail decisions, continuances, plea bargains, dismissals, sentencing, and restitution. They should establish procedures to ensure that such victims are given the opportunity to make their views on these matters known. 3. Prosecutors should charge and pursue to the fullest extent of the law defendants who harass, threaten, in -lure, or otherwise attempt to intimidate or retaliate against victims or witnesses. 4. Prosecutors should strongly discourage case continuances. When such delays are necessary, procedures should be established to ensure that cases are continued to dates agreeable to victims and witnesses, that those dates are secured in advance whenever possible, and that the reasons for the continuances are adequately explained. 5. Prosecutors' offices should use a victim and witness on-call system, 6. Prosecutors' offices should establish procedures to ensure the prompt return of victims' property, absent a need for the actual evidence in court. 7. Prosecutors' offices should establish and maintain direct liaison with victim/witness units and other victim service agencies. 8. Prosecutors must recognize the profound impact crimes of sexual violence have on both child and adult victims and their families; and WHEREAS the Oakland County Prosecutor has proposed the establishment of a Victim-Witness Unit in the Prosecutor's Office to implement the recommendations of the President's Task Force and to administer the program of serving Circuit Court criminal subpoenas by mail; and WHEREAS the program to serve Circuit Court criminal subpoenas by mail which has received unanimous support from representatives of Oakland County police departments will cause significant savings to local police departments in time and resources devoted to that function; and WHEREAS, the cooperation of victims and witnesses is the mainstay of prosecutorial effectiveness; and WHEREAS the Victim-Witness Unit will address in a meaningful way the heretofore neglect of the official criminal justice system to witnesses, victims, and their families. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners approve the concept of a Victim-Witness Unit in the Prosecutor's Office consisting of one director, three para-legals, one typist; the Unit to be housed in Courthouse Tower with sufficient space for the full time employees, 14 volunteer workers, a waiting room for witnesses and two interview rooms. Mr. Chairperson, on behalf of the Public Services Co-mmittee, I move the adoption of the foregoing resolution. PUBLIC SERVICES CITTEE a #851I7 May 23, 1985 Moved by Lanni supported by Perinoff the Personnel Committee report be accepted. A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the Personnel Committee report was accepted. Moved by Lanni supported by Law the resolution, with the Personnel Committee report attached, be adopted. The Chairperson referred the resolution, with the Personnel Committee report attached, to the Planning and Building Committee and the Finance Committee. There were no objections.