09 LC
94 0337
Senate
Resolution 302
By:
Senators Hamrick of the 30th and Murphy of the 27th
A
RESOLUTION
Recognizing
February 19, 2009, as Victim-Witness Advocate Day in Georgia; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS,
on February 19, 2009, the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia
will sponsor Victim-Witness Advocate Day in Georgia at the capitol;
and
WHEREAS,
legislators are encouraged to join with victim-witness advocates, district
attorneys, and solicitors-general from across this state to recognize the
important role of victim-witness advocates and to increase awareness of their
mission to provide 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; and 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 SENATE that the members of this body recognize
the importance of victim-witness advocates, support their mission to support
victims of all crimes, and declare February 19, 2009, as Victim-Witness Advocate
Day at the capitol.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the Prosecuting Attorneys'
Council of Georgia.