Federal Criminal Victims and Witnesses Assistance Act

Summary

Federal Criminal Victims and Witnesses Assistance Act - Title I: Victim Compensation - Establishes in the Department of Justice a three-member Victims Compensation Commission. Directs the Commission to order the payment of compensation to intervenors or victims in cases of personal injury or death resulting from specified criminal offenses committed within Indian country, the District of Columbia, or the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. Permits the Commission to order emergency compensation not to exceed $1,500 pending final action on a claim, such compensation to be deducted from any final order for compensation. Authorizes the Administrator of the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration to make grants and provide technical assistance to enable States to establish viable victim compensation programs. Directs the Administrator, upon approval of the State's plan, to make grants on an annual renewable basis for 50 percent of the cost of the State of payments to qualified victims. Title II: Witness Assistance - Establishes within each United States attorney's office a witnesses of crime assistance bureau, such bureau to create and administer witness assistance programs that encourage and enable witnesses of crimes to testify at criminal trials in Federal courts. Title III: Witness Fees - Increases the expense fees of witnesses to crime who testify in Federal courts. Authorizes the Administrator to make grants to reimburse States for the costs of compensating witnesses of crime in State cases at the levels of compensation for witnesses of crime in Federal cases.

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1 official file

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 5 May 1977

  Open at official source

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