Opinion ID: 2625111
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Purposes of the provisions

Text: The first section of the Victims' Rights Act states its purpose: The purpose of AS 12.61.100-12.61.150 is to protect victims of and witnesses to crime from risk of harassment, intimidation, and unwarranted invasion of privacy by prohibiting the unnecessary disclosure of their addresses and telephone numbers.[ [55] ] In 1994 the Alaska Constitution was amended by adding a victims' rights clause. Article I, section 24 provides: Crime victims, as defined by law, shall have the following rights as provided by law: the right to be reasonably protected from the accused through the imposition of appropriate bail or conditions of release by the court; the right to confer with the prosecution; the right to be treated with dignity, respect, and fairness during all phases of the criminal and juvenile justice process; the right to timely disposition of the case following the arrest of the accused; the right to obtain information about and be allowed to be present at all criminal or juvenile proceedings where the accused has the right to be present; the right to be allowed to be heard, upon request, at sentencing, before or after conviction or juvenile adjudication, and at any proceeding where the accused's release from custody is considered; the right to restitution from the accused; and the right to be informed, upon request, of the accused's escape or release from custody before or after conviction or juvenile adjudication. According to the State, the 1996 amendments to the Victims' Rights Act were meant to implement the new constitutional clause. The amendments added AS 12.61.120(d)prohibiting undisclosed recording of victim and witness interviewsand AS 12.61.125adding more stringent constraints in connection with recorded and unrecorded interviews of victims and witnesses in sexual offense cases. [56] The legislative history of the 1996 amendments indicates that they were meant to reduce the sense of continued violation that victims may experience when they participate in pretrial and trial processes. [57] With respect to the advice and written consent requirements that are the subject of this part of the opinion, the State contends that the requirements are designed to ensure that citizens are provided advice when they most need itwhen they are being approached by the defense for an interviewso that they can meaningfully exercise their rights and exercise some control over their life. The State summarizes the statutory purposes as follows: By requiring defense representatives to advise victims and witnesses they do not have to be interviewed and that they can have another person present, and to obtain their permission before tape recording them, the Legislature attempted to assure that victims are treated with dignity, respect and fairness, as required by Article I, sec. 24 of the Alaska Constitution, and to minimize instances of intimidation and harassment, and violations of the privacy guaranteed by Article I, sec. 22 of the Constitution.