Washington State Constitution: Article I - Section 35: "Effective law enforcement depends on cooperation from victims of crime. To ensure victims a meaningful role in the criminal justice system and to accord them due dignity and respect, victims of crime are hereby granted the following basic and fundamental rights." Right to be Notified/Informed Right to be Present Right to be Heard Right to Compensation and Restitution Right to Have a Victim Advocate Present Right to Protection Right to Records Additional Rights for Child Victims Additional Rights for Dependent Persons The Victim Rights Movement in the United States began in earnest in the early 1970's, swept in by the momentum of the Civil Rights Movement, the Women's Rights Movement, and the Law & Order Movement. Washington State has been at the forefront on victims' rights, and the following dates mark significant milestones in the Victim Rights Movement in this state. 1973 - Est. Crime Victim Comp. Program 1975 - Family & Friends of Violent Crime Victims established 1979 - Victim of Sexual Assault Act passed 1979 - Funding for domestic violence shelters passed 1981 - Washington State Crime Victim Bill of Rights passed 1981 - Sentencing Reform Act passed 1983 - Department of Corrections Victim Assistance Unit created 1984 - WA Coalition of Crime Victim Advocates established 1985 - Special rights for child crime victims passed 1989 - Voters ratify a constitutional amendment on victim rights 1990 - Community Protection Act passed 1990 - Office of Crime Victim Advocacy created 1991 - Address Confidentiality Program created 1995 - Prosecutors must inform victims on plea agreements 1996 - Victim advocate for the Sentencing Guidelines Commission 1999 - Offender Accountability Act passed Victim rights are continually evolving in this state. As recently as 2006, the Washington Supreme Court (Washington v. Devin) issued a near unanimous ruling affirming a victim's right to collect restitution from a deceased criminal offender's estate. The Washington Coalition of Crime Victim Advocates is dedicated to protecting and improving the rights of crime victims. ©2008/2010 Washington Coalition of Crime Victim Advocates* Reproduce only with permission. Website created by Aakshara. *Alley cats in Ellensburg photo by Roger Stanley; Downtown Spokane photo by Derek Hoffman.

March 16-19, 2010 CVSC Core Training Walla Walla, WA REGISTER for TRAINING April 18–24, 2010 National Crime Victims' Rights Week May 18-19, 2010 Victim Rights Training Bellingham, WA REGISTER for TRAINING June 14-17, 2010 CVSC Core Training Wenatchee , WA REGISTER for TRAINING