PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor

H.B. 576

(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;

(5)     Be advised of the protection available, and, on request, be protected by
criminal justice agencies, to the extent reasonable, practicable, and, in the agency's
discretion, necessary, from harm or threats of harm arising out of the crime victim's or
witness's cooperation with law enforcement and prosecution efforts;

(6)     During any phase of the investigative proceedings or court proceedings,
be provided, to the extent practicable, a waiting area that is separate from a suspect and
the family and friends of a suspect;

(7)     Be informed by the appropriate criminal justice agency of financial
assistance, criminal injuries compensation, and any other social services available as a
result of being a crime victim and receive assistance or information on how to apply for
services;

(8)     Be advised of and, on request, be provided with employer intercession
services, when appropriate, by the State's Attorney's office or other available resource to
seek employer cooperation in minimizing an employee's loss of pay or other benefits
resulting from participation in the criminal justice process;

(9)     On written request, be kept reasonably informed by the police or the
State's Attorney of the apprehension of a suspect, closing of the case, and an office to
contact for information about the case;

(10)   Be advised of the right to have stolen or other property promptly
returned and, on written request, have the property promptly returned by law
enforcement agencies when means can be employed to otherwise satisfy evidentiary
requirements for prosecution unless there is a compelling law enforcement reason for
retaining it;

(11)   For a crime of violence, as defined in [Article 27, § 643B of the Code]
§ 643B OF THIS ARTICLE, on written request, be kept informed by pretrial release
personnel, the State's Attorney or Attorney General, as appropriate, of any proceeding
that affects the crime victim's interests, including bail hearing, dismissal, [nol pros]
NOLLE PROSEQUI, or stetting of charges, trial, disposition, whether at hearing, trial, or
appellate level;

(12)   On request of the State's Attorney to and in the discretion of the judge,
be permitted to address the judge or jury or have a victim impact statement read by the
judge or jury at sentencing before the imposition of the sentence or at any hearing to
consider altering the sentence;

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