Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Victim Notification topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Subcommittee backs requiring victim notification when defendants seek to modify or vacate protective orders
Summary
The Judiciary subcommittee voted March 12 to forward a recommendation to amend Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-227 and 54-228 so the Office of Victim Services and Department of Correction are notified when someone files to modify or vacate a standing criminal protective order; the measure was forwarded to the full council.
The court-based issues subcommittee of the Judiciary voted March 12 to forward a recommendation to amend Connecticut General Statutes 54-227 and 54-228 to require that the Office of Victim Services (OVS) and the Department of Correction (DOC) be notified when an individual files to modify or vacate a standing criminal protective order.
Merritt Loy, complaint officer for the Office of the Victim Advocate and co-chair of the subcommittee, said the change would put victim notification routines for this form of post-conviction relief on the same footing as other sentence-modification processes. "This is the most logical place to put it," Loy said during the committee discussion.
Mark Pela of the Office of Victim Services told members OVS could operationalize the change by updating the Judicial Branch''s notice-of-application form to include a checkbox that would trigger OVS and DOC review. "In terms of OVS's ability to operationally implement this, we see a path toward that," Pela said, noting OVS and DOC would check registered-victim lists and send informational letters to victims using the contact information on file (email, phone or mailing address).
Committee members sought clarification on whether notices would go to a victim's "last known address" and how long contact information is retained. Pela said OVS uses whatever contact method the victim selected when registering and that victims can update their information; victims may register with OVS, DOC or victim-assistance units. The subcommittee agreed the statutory language could be further refined with legislative liaisons after forwarding the recommendation.
A member moved to adopt the recommendation; Mark Pela moved and Danielle Singuj seconded the motion. The committee adopted the recommendation by voice vote and will forward it to the larger council for consideration.
Next steps: if the full council approves, staff expect to coordinate with the Judicial Branch forms team, DOC victim-services staff and legislative liaison to draft the statutory and form language and to develop standard notification letters for victims.
