VICTIMS ADVOCATES LAUNCH CAMPAIGN; SEEK APPROVAL OF RIGHTS AMENDMENT

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Wednesday, July 17, 1991

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page B03

Advocates of a state constitutional amendment recognizing crime victims rights met in Paramus on Tuesday to begin their drive to get voter approval of the measure in a Nov. 5 referendum.
The state Legislature recently approved the amendment, which says that a crime victim “shall be treated with fairness, compassion, and respect by the criminal justice system.”
The amendment also states that a crime victim should not be denied the right to be present at public judicial proceedings. Currently, crime victims are not allowed in the courtroom unless they are giving testimony.
A crime victims rights panel convened by Assembly members Rose Heck, R-Hasbrouck Heights, and Patrick J. Roma, R-Palisades Park, to discuss the amendment was videotaped and will be given to groups around the state as part of a public education effort, Heck said.
Dr. Jill Greenbaum of the Bergen County Rape Crisis Center said the amendment would begin to balance the rights that criminal defendants have with a measure of rights for the victims.
The amendment would help restore victims faith in the criminal justice system, said James O’Brien, chairman of the Coalition of Crime Victims Rights Organizations.
Right now, “a victim of a crime is not denied constitutional rights. That implies he has them,” O’Brien said. “He does not have them.
“We absolutely do not want to infringe on the rights of the defendants, because who is to say that I won’t be a defendant tomorrow? What we are saying is that the rights of the victims do not have to conflict with the rights of the defendant.”
The New Jersey Association of Defense Lawyers opposes the amendment, saying victims rights are adequately protected by current law.

Keywords: CRIME; VICTIM; FAMILY; ORGANIZATION; MEETING; NEW JERSEY; CONSTITUTION; RIGHT

ID: 17349564 | Copyright © 1991, The Record (New Jersey)