§ 5303 — Legislative purpose

(a) The fundamental objective underlying this chapter is the protection of victims of crime. This chapter seeks to ensure that crime victims are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve while functioning in a system in which they find themselves through no fault of their own. This chapter seeks to accommodate that objective and balance crime victims’ needs and rights with criminal defendants’ rights.
(b) This chapter also seeks to reduce the financial, emotional, and physical consequences of criminal victimization, to prevent victimization by the law enforcement and criminal justice system, and to assist victims with problems that result from their victimization.
(c) Victims of crime shall be treated with courtesy and sensitivity by the court system and the State’s Attorney’s office. Those responsible should ensure that the process of criminal prosecution moves smoothly and expeditiously and, after the conclusion of a prosecution, should cooperate in an appropriate manner with victims who seek to enforce their civil rights and remedies, which cooperation may include preserving and producing evidence, documents, and testimony to the victims for use in such efforts. (Added 1985, No. 182 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1986; amended 1995, No. 170 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1996.)