Victim Witness Protection Act
The Victim and Witness Protection Act is a law passed to protect and provide services to victims and witnesses within the criminal justice system. The Victim-Witness Unit of the United States Attorney's Office works to ensure that victims of federal crime who have suffered physical, financial, or emotional trauma are informed of their rights and receive the assistance and protection to which they are entitled under the law, and that witnesses in the federal justice system are accorded all accommodation and notices consistent with that vital role.
The Victim Witness Unit provides a variety of services to victims and witnesses in the federal criminal justice system, including education on criminal justice processes, courtroom orientation, notice of significant case events, and financial and logistical assistance when attending court proceedings.
Victims of crime often experience fear, uncertainty, frustration, and anger. Our Victim Witness Staff are available to aid victims in addressing the strong emotions their experience may engender. Staff members assist crime victims in exercising their rights to notice, presence, and allocution at court proceedings as provided by law, and serve as a resource in providing referrals to support groups and/or counseling programs.
Witnesses serve an essential role in the prosecution of crime. The goal of the Victim Witness Unit is to ensure that witnesses of are treated with fairness, dignity, and respect throughout their encounter with the federal criminal justice system, and to ensure the free exercise of all rights and privileges accorded by the Victim and Witness Protection Act.