Victims Rights
The Victims of Crime Act of 1984, the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act of 1990, and the Crime Victims’ Rights Act of 2004 guarantee victims a central role in the criminal justice process. The Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance provide guidance on compliance with the victim rights laws and set forth Justice Department policy on working with victims and witnesses.
Victim assistance personnel in federal agencies can help ensure that elderly crime victims get services and rights mandated by law. The CVRA establishes the rights of crime victims in federal criminal cases. Victim assistance personnel should make their best efforts to ensure that older adults get services at each stage of the criminal justice process and should to explain to victims their rights under the law.
As victim assistance personnel in federal agencies it is important to make sure that the needs of our elderly victims are met, such as notification of proceedings, referrals to services, safety planning, the provision of special accommodations such as wheelchairs, hearing devices, travel arrangements, court support and more. The Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance sets forth policy and guidance on assisting our elderly victims, and treating them with dignity and respect.
This law ensures that victims receive mandated services, including referrals to emergency medical and social services, reasonable protection from suspected offenders, notice of the status of the investigation to the extent it is appropriate and will not interfere with the investigation, and notice of court proceedings. Victims are entitled to receive these services from the detection of the crime throughout the case.