Justice for Crime Victims Act of 2014

Bill: 113-hr-4165
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Franks, Trent [R-AZ-8]
Introduced: 2014-03-06
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Crime victims

Criminal procedure and sentencing

Government trust funds

Judicial review and appeals
Latest action: action_date: 2014-04-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2014-03-06
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>Justice for Crime Victims Act of 2014 - Amends the federal criminal code to add to the list of crime victims' rights: (1) the right to be informed in a timely manner of any plea bargain or deferred prosecution agreement, and (2) the right to be informed of victims' rights and the services described in the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 and to be provided contact information for the Office of the Victims' Rights Ombudsman of the Department of Justice (DOJ). </p> <p>Requires the court of appeals to: (1) take up and decide an application for relief and writ of mandamus regarding a victim's rights within 72 hours after a petition has been filed (current law), unless the litigants, with the court's approval, have stipulated to a different time period for consideration; and (2) apply ordinary standards of appellate review in deciding such application.</p> <p>Defines &quot;court of appeals&quot; for purposes of crime victims' rights provisions to mean: (1) the U.S. court of appeals for the judicial district in which a defendant is being prosecuted; or (2) for a prosecution in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. </p> <p>Makes sums in the Crime Victims Fund that are made available for the U.S. Attorneys Offices and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for services for the benefit of crime victims in the federal criminal justice system to be available only for such services provided through victim coordinators, victims' specialists, and advocates, including for the administrative support of such victim coordinators and advocates.</p>

tv_txt: I 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4165 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 6, 2014 Mr. Franks of Arizona (for himself, Mr. Costa , Mr. Royce , Mr. Poe of Texas , and Mr. Gosar ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To protect crime victims’ rights.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Justice for Crime Victims Act of 2014 . 2. Crime victims' rights (a) In general Section 3771 of title 18, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following: (9) The right to be informed in a timely manner of any plea bargain or deferred prosecution agreement. (10) The right to be informed of the rights under this section and the services described in section 503(c) of the Victims' Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 10607(c)) and provided contact information for the Office of the Victims' Rights Ombudsman of the Department of Justice. ; (2) in subsection (d)(3), in the fifth sentence, by inserting , unless the litigants, with the approval of the court, have stipulated to a different time period for consideration before the period; and (3) in subsection (e)— (A) by striking this chapter, the term and inserting the following: “this chapter: (1) Court of appeals The term court of appeals means— (A) the United States court of appeals for the judicial district in which a defendant is being prosecuted; or (B) for a prosecution in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. (2) Crime victim (A) In general The term ; (B) by striking In the case and inserting the following: (B) Minors and certain other victims In the case ; and (C) by adding at the end the following: (3) District court; court The terms district court and court include the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. . (b) Crime victims fund Section 1402(d)(3) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 ( 42 U.S.C. 10601(d)(3) ) is amended— (1) by inserting (A) before Of the sums ; and (2) by striking available for the United States Attorneys Offices and all that follows and inserting the following: ‘‘available only for— (i) the United States Attorneys Offices and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to provide and improve services for the benefit of crime victims in the Federal criminal justice system (as described in 3771 of title 18, United States Code, and section 503 of the Victims’ Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 ( 42 U.S.C. 10607 )) through victim coordinators, victims' specialists, and advocates, including for the administrative support of victim coordinators and advocates providing such services; and (ii) a Victim Notification System. (B) Amounts made available under subparagraph (A) may not be used for any purpose that is not specified in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (A). . (c) Appellate review of petitions relating to crime victims' rights (1) In general Section 3771(d)(3) of title 18, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a)(2) of this section, is amended by inserting after the fifth sentence the following: In deciding such application, the court of appeals shall apply ordinary standards of appellate review. . (2) Application The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to any petition for a writ of mandamus filed under section 3771(d)(3) of title 18, United States Code, that is pending on the date of enactment of this Act.