PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor                             Ch. 585

845. RESERVED.

846. RESERVED.

VICTIMS AND WITNESSES - TREATMENT AND ASSISTANCE
[760.] 847. DEFINITIONS.

(a)     In [this part] §§ 847 THROUGH 850 OF THIS SUBHEADING, the following
words have the meanings indicated.

(b)     "Crime" means conduct that is a crime under the laws of this State or federal
law or would be considered a crime except for the fact that the perpetrator was found to
be not criminally responsible or not competent to stand trial.

(c)     "Crime victim" means an individual who suffers direct or threatened physical,
emotional, or financial harm as a result of a crime and includes family members of a
minor, incompetent, or a homicide victim.

(d)     (1) "Disposition" means the sentencing or determination of penalty or
punishment to be imposed on a person convicted of a crime or against whom a finding of
sufficient facts for conviction is made.

(2) "Disposition" includes dismissal of charges or any other disposition
under a plea bargain agreement.

(e)     "Family member" means spouse, child, sibling, parent, or legal guardian.

(f)     "Restitution" means money or services which a defendant is ordered to pay or
render to a victim.

(g)     "Witness" means any person who is or expects to be a State's witness.
DRAFTER'S NOTE: This section formerly was Art. 27, § 760 of the Code.

The only change is in style.

[ 761.] 848. GUIDELINES FOR TREATMENT OF AND ASSISTANCE TO CRIME VICTIMS
AND WITNESSES.

A crime victim or witness should:

(1)     Be informed by appropriate criminal justice agencies of these guidelines;

(2)     Be treated with dignity, respect, courtesy, and sensitivity;

(3)     Receive crisis intervention assistance, if needed, or be informed by the
appropriate criminal justice agency where crisis intervention assistance, emergency
medical treatment, creditor intercession services, or other social services and counseling
may be obtained;

(4)     Be notified in advance of dates and times of trial court proceedings in
the case and, on written request, of post sentencing proceedings, and be notified if the
court proceedings to which they have been summoned will not proceed as scheduled;

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