A new bill, currently being reviewed by the House Judiciary Committee, aims to notify crime victims regarding the release, whether temporary or not, of the suspects. If passed, the law could alter how court proceedings are carried out.
The bill, called H.533, was introduced by Representative Maxine Jo Grad of Moretown, Vermont. Basically, the bill will grant victims of abuse and other crimes the legal right to know that status of their alleged attackers.
According to VTDigger.org, the legislation will require courts and law enforcement agencies to notify victims if the accused has been released from custody. Currently, authorities are not mandated to inform victims regarding the specific details of their alleged attacker's status.
For instance, in the current system, an individual may be arrested under suspicion of committing a crime but could also be released hours later after being processed. Another scenario would be releasing an individual on parole conditions or from a mental health treatment program.
These situations and others like them will be covered by the bill if passed. That way, the victims will be able to know about the exact status of the suspects.
Through this, the victims could carry out the necessary precautions to protect their selves and their families. These include notifying their child's school regarding their situation or going through the legal channels to seek protection from the accused.
Various groups including Vermont's Department of Public Safety and the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence has expressed their support for the bill. For them, this could ensure the safety of the victims and those around them.
A similar law is also being lobbied in the state of Montana. Dubbed as Marsy's Law, this legislature was drafted to let victims and their families to know about the court proceedings regarding their case and to provide them the right to be heard during those events. For the supporters of the bill, Marsy's Law will provide victims a better opportunity at participating more in the procedures of the criminal justice system, Billings Gazette has learned.
