08 LC 95
0433
House
Resolution 1311
By:
Representatives Ralston of the
7th,
Lunsford of the
110th,
Benfield of the
85th,
Levitas of the
82nd,
and Bearden of the
68th
A
RESOLUTION
Recognizing
Wednesday, February 20, 2008, as Victim-Witness Advocate Day in Georgia; and for
other purposes.
WHEREAS,
on Wednesday, February 20, 2008, the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State
of Georgia will sponsor Victim-Witness Day in Georgia at the capitol;
and
WHEREAS,
legislators are encouraged to join with victim-witness advocates, district
attorneys, and solicitors-general from across the state to recognize the
important role of victim-witness advocates and to increase awareness of their
mission of providing support to victims of all crimes; and
WHEREAS,
with the enactment of the Georgia Crime Victims' Bill of Rights in 1995,
individuals impacted by violent crime are afforded specific services to enable
them to take steps toward restoration, and through the district attorney offices
in each of the 49 Georgia judicial circuits, and the solicitor-general offices
in 25 of the 159 Georgia counties, victim-witness advocates are the only service
agencies mandated to serve all crime victims; and
WHEREAS,
advocates are present and available to guide these individuals through what can
be a confusing, complicated judicial process, and victim-witness personnel
assist with obtaining compensation through the Criminal Justice Coordinating
Council and appropriate restitution through the courts; and
WHEREAS,
victim-witness personnel make referrals to professional and other community
resources and provide notification of all judicial proceedings; and
WHEREAS,
each judicial circuit and county has unique needs, resources, and services, and
the advocates work to insure the victim's full participation in the judicial
process; and
WHEREAS,
the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia's Victim-Witness
Advocacy Office provides consultation, training, networking, and professional
development to advocate personnel, and they also present the needs and concerns
of crime victims to the community, elected officials, agencies, and public
policy makers through education, resources, collaboration, and advocacy;
and
WHEREAS,
the Victim-Witness Advocacy Office is committed to unifying this state's
advocate personnel in voice, purpose, and vision; providing training and
orientation for new advocates and volunteers; providing training to advocates,
prosecutors, investigators, community officials, and the public regarding crime
victim issues; assisting with collaboration between advocacy agencies; assisting
with requested training of law enforcement officers and agencies, including but
not limited to training on domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, criminal
process, civil justice, compassion fatigue, and sexual assault; providing
up-to-date information through consultation, networking, personal development,
and training to prosecution based advocates; supporting prosecution based
advocates as they serve all crime victims in Georgia as mandated by the Crime
Victims' Bill of Rights.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of
this body recognize the importance of victim-witness advocates, support their
mission to support victims of all crimes, and declare Wednesday, February 20,
2008, as Victim-Witness Day at the capitol.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the
Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia.