TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Allison Haley - District Attorney
REPORT BY: Sophie Johnson - Staff Services Manager
SUBJECT: Resolution for Victim Witness Assistance Program
RECOMMENDATION
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Adopt a Resolution authorizing the District Attorney to apply for, execute and sign grant subaward documents, including amendments, extensions and modifications, thereof, for the Victim/Witness Assistance Program. (Fiscal Impact: $376,543 Revenue; General Fund; Budgeted; Discretionary)
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BACKGROUND
California Penal Code Sections 13835 through 13835.10 mandate that every county in the State of California be provided funding for comprehensive services for victims and witnesses. Funding is designed to help victims and witnesses of all types of crime by maintaining local centers that provide comprehensive assistance, including all legislatively mandated services. Victim/Witness Assistance Centers (VWACs) arose in 1983 in an effort by the Legislature to reduce the trauma and insensitive treatment that victims and witnesses experienced in the criminal justice system. Today, State and Federally funded VWACs operate in each of the 58 counties and in the City of Los Angeles and play a vital role in California's criminal justice system. Napa County District Attorney's Office began providing victim witness services in Fiscal Year 2010-2011.
Each VWAC is required to perform 14 mandatory services: crisis intervention, emergency assistance, resource and referral assistance, direct counseling, victim of crime claims, property return, orientation to the criminal justice system, court escort, presentations and training to local criminal justice agencies, public presentations and publicity, case status and case dispositions, notification to family and friends, employer notification and intervention, and assistance with restitution. The following 10 optional services may be provided if they do not preclude the efficient provision of mandatory services: employer intervention, credi...
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