cvscRights

                                    CRIME VICTIM RIGHTS - RCW 7.69.030

There shall be a reasonable effort made to ensure that victims, survivors of
victims, and witnesses of crimes have the following rights, which apply to any
criminal court and/or juvenile court proceeding:

1.        With respect to victims of violent or sex crimes, to receive, at the time of
reporting the crime to law enforcement officials, a written statement of the rights
of crime victims as provided in this chapter. The written statement shall include
the name, address, and telephone number of a county or local crime
victim/witness program, if such a crime victim/witness program exists in the
county;

2.        To be informed by local law enforcement agencies or the prosecuting
attorney of the final disposition of the case in which the victim, survivor, or
witness is involved;

3.        To be notified by the party who issued the subpoena that a court
proceeding to which they have been subpoenaed will not occur as scheduled, in
order to save the person an unnecessary trip to court;

4.        To receive protection from harm and threats of harm arising out of cooperation with law
enforcement and prosecution efforts, and to be provided with information as to the level of protection
available;

5.        To be informed of the procedure to be followed to apply for and receive any witness fees to which
they are entitled;

6.        To be provided, whenever practical, a secure waiting area during court proceedings that does not
require them to be in close proximity to defendants and families or friends of defendants;

7.        To have any stolen or other personal property expeditiously returned by law enforcement
agencies or the superior court when no longer needed as evidence. When feasible, all such property,
except weapons, currency, contraband, property subject to evidentiary analysis, and property of which
ownership is disputed, shall be photographed and returned to the owner within ten days of being taken;

8.        To be provided with appropriate employer intercession services to ensure that employers of
victims, survivors of victims, and witnesses of crime will cooperate with the criminal justice process in
order to minimize an employee's loss of pay and other benefits resulting from court appearance;

9.        To access to immediate medical assistance and not to be detained for an unreasonable length of
time by a law enforcement agency before having such assistance administered. However, an employee
of the law enforcement agency may, if necessary, accompany the person to a medical facility to question
the person about the criminal incident if the questioning does not hinder the administration of medical
assistance;

10.         With respect to victims of violent and sex crimes, to have a crime victim advocate from a crime
victim/witness program, or any other support person of the victim's choosing, present at any
prosecutorial or defense interviews with the victim, and at any judicial proceedings related to criminal
acts committed against the victim. This subsection applies if practical and if the presence of the crime
victim advocate or support person does not cause any unnecessary delay in the investigation or
prosecution of the case. The role of the crime victim advocate is to provide emotional support to the
crime victim;

11.         With respect to victims and survivors of victims, to be physically present in court during trial, or if
subpoenaed to testify, to be scheduled as early as practical in the proceedings in order to be physically
present during trial after testifying and not to be excluded solely because they have testified;

12.         With respect to victims and survivors of victims, to be informed by the prosecuting attorney of
the date, time, and place of the trial and of the sentencing hearing for felony convictions upon request
by a victim or survivor;

13.         To submit a victim impact statement or report to the court, with the assistance of the
prosecuting attorney if requested, which shall be included in all presentence reports and permanently
included in the files and records accompanying the offender committed to the custody of a state agency
or institution;

14.         With respect to victims and survivors of victims, to present a statement personally or by
representation, at the sentencing hearing for felony convictions;

15.         With respect to victims and survivors of victims, to entry of an order of restitution by the court in
all felony cases, even when the offender is sentenced to confinement, unless extraordinary
circumstances exist which make restitution inappropriate in the court's judgment; and

16.         With respect to victims and survivors of victims, to present a statement in person, via audio or
videotape, in writing or by representation at any hearing conducted regarding an application for pardon
or commutation of sentence.