Crime Victims

U.S. cuts funding for crime victims Congress trims funding for crime victims, leaving nonprofits, state and local agencies with the prospect of cutting services. Social Services chief resigns The head of the city's Department of Social Services resigns after repeated criticism of the agency for failing to prevent the deaths of children from abuse and neglect. Illegal-immigrant measure defeated Taneytown's council defeats an anti-sanctuary resolution, but members make clear they support full enforcement of existing immigration laws.

The Anne Arundel County state's attorney's office presented six awards yesterday to people who have helped crime victims, including one to 97 local police officers, firefighters and paramedics who assisted workers in New York City after the attacks of Sept. 11. Other awards went to: Lorraine A. Chase, former director of the YWCA's domestic violence program in Arnold, who created programs for victims of abuse and for batterers. Pam Schwikert, a Calvert Memorial Hospital emergency room nurse who saved a woman's life by responding to cues that her estranged husband had kidnapped her. Chester Taplette III, an Anne Arundel County deputy sheriff who has allayed the fears of young crime victims when they come to court.

IT'S AN election year. You can tell by the flurry of votes on proposed constitutional amendments in Congress this month. The latest, set for the Senate this week, is perhaps the most deceptive and dangerous -- a victims' rights amendment. On the surface it seems reasonable, similar to rights adopted in 32 states. It would guarantee crime victims the right to speak at parole, plea-bargain or sentencing hearings, to be notified of an offender's release, to restitution, and a speedy trial.

A proposed amendment to the state constitution guaranteeing rights for crime victims rolled through the legislature like a train yesterday, with most members voting to approve the popular measure.The Senate passed the amendment 42 to 0 without debate. The House of Delegates also approved it overwhelmingly, 126 to 11.The amendment would grant victims the right to be treated with "dignity, respect and sensitivity" by the court system. They would also have the right to be notified of relevant criminal justice proceedings, to attend them and to be heard.

Baltimore County Council approved a smorgasbord of legislation last night that will help crime victims, boaters, callers to the county housing office and children in Lansdowne.The council provided help to crime victims by approving a measure to allow the hiring of a counselor for Woodlawn Precinct and to continue funding an identical program started at White Marsh Precinct.Under that program, the county will get $58,119 in federal and state money and an additional $9,406 in county cash and $10,000 in support services.

A program that alerts crime victims to the status of offenders as they move through the criminal justice system is about to go statewide. State officials plan to announce today that eight more counties are going "on line" with the victim notification program, joining Montgomery and Carroll counties, which launched pilot programs in 1998. The program -- Victim Identification and Notification Everyday service -- keeps crime victims informed of an offender's custody status and pending court dates and hearings.

Over the last decade, victims of crime -- and their extended families -- have doggedly lobbied politicians in an effort to make themselves the fourth-party players in the criminal justice system. In one corner, we have the defense; in another, the prosecution; at center ring, the judiciary; and, crying out from the gallery, we have the grieving relatives of crime victims, and sometimes the victims themselves.The Roper Committee has been at work for years now, and has scored a number of legislative victories in Annapolis.

New amendment proposed to ban same-sex marriage Republicans in the Maryland legislature refuse to abandon their quest for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages. They introduced a new proposal yesterday despite the defeat of an earlier draft. Del. Anthony J. O'Donnell, the Republican whip from Southern Maryland, drew up a new amendment that defines marriage as being between a man and a woman and adds that people of both sexes have equality under the law. O'Donnell's amendment would not forbid civil unions.

Since 1994, Maryland's constitution has required that victims of crime "be treated by agents of the state with dignity, respect, and sensitivity during all phases of the criminal justice process." It is the final article in the state's Declaration of Rights, just after the provision guaranteeing that equal rights under the law cannot be abridged because of one's sex. It has led to important advances in Maryland law to prevent the victim from being forgotten in the criminal justice system; not only does Maryland have a fund to compensate crime victims, but state law also requires that crime victims must be notified of court dates related to their cases, and they must be consulted by prosecutors if they decide to drop charges.

A nonprofit organization and Anne Arundel County prosecutors are staging their second annual foot race Nov. 7 to benefit a fund to provide crime victims with emergency financial help.The Victims' Fund has provided about $3,000 to four crime victims since January. It has bought tires for a woman who could not afford to replace her vandalized ones and needed a car to get to work. It also paid part of a medical insurance premium for an assault victim, said Maureen Gilmer, victims-witness coordinator for the Anne Arundel County state's attorney's office.