Sec 8-386. Information provided to victim by law enforcement agencies  


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  • A. As soon after the detection of an offense as the victim may be contacted without interfering with an investigation or arrest, the law enforcement agency responsible for investigating the offense shall provide the victim with a multicopy form:

    1. That allows the victim to request or waive applicable rights to which the victim is entitled, on request, under this article.

    2. That provides the victim a method to designate a lawful representative if the victim so chooses pursuant to section 8-384, subsection A or section 8-385.

    3. That provides notice to the victim of all of the following information:

    (a) The victim's right under the victims' bill of rights, article II, section 2.1, Constitution of Arizona, to be treated with fairness, respect and dignity and to be free of intimidation, harassment or abuse throughout the criminal or juvenile justice process.

    (b) The availability, if any, of crisis intervention services and emergency and medical services and, if applicable, that medical expenses arising out of the need to secure evidence may be reimbursed pursuant to section 13-1414.

    (c) In cases involving domestic violence, the procedures and resources available for the protection of the victim pursuant to section 13-3601.

    (d) The names and telephone numbers of public and private victim assistance programs, including the county victim compensation program and programs that provide counseling, treatment and other support services.

    (e) The police report number, if available, other identifying case information and the following statement:

    If within thirty days you are not notified of an arrest in your case, you may call (the law enforcement agency's telephone number) for the status of the case.

    (f) Whether the suspect is an adult or juvenile, the victim will be notified by the law enforcement agency at the earliest opportunity after the arrest of a suspect.

    (g) If the suspect is a juvenile and the officer requests that the accused be detained, a statement of the victim's right, on request, to be informed if the juvenile will be released or will be detained pending the detention hearing and of the victim's right to be present and heard at the detention hearing and that, to exercise these rights, the victim must contact the detention screening section of the juvenile probation department immediately to request notice of all of the following:

    (i) The juvenile's release.

    (ii) The date, time and place of the detention hearing and any changes to that schedule.

    (iii) If the victim chooses to exercise the right to be heard through a written statement, how that statement may be submitted to the court.

    (h) That the victim or the immediate family member of the victim, if the victim is killed or incapacitated, has the right to receive one copy of the police report, including any supplements to the report, from the investigating law enforcement agency at no charge pursuant to section 39-127.

    B. If at the time of contact with a law enforcement agency the victim is physically or emotionally unable to request or waive applicable rights, the law enforcement agency shall designate this on the multicopy form and the entities that may be subsequently affected shall presume that the victim invoked the victim's right to request applicable rights to which the victim is entitled, on request, unless the victim later waives those rights.

    C. The law enforcement agency shall submit one copy of the victim's request or waiver of predisposition rights form to the detention center, if the arresting officer is requesting that the accused be detained, at the time the juvenile is taken to detention. If detention is not requested, the form copies shall be submitted to the juvenile probation intake section at the time the case is otherwise referred to court. The probation intake section shall submit a copy of the victim's request or waiver of predisposition rights form to the prosecutor and the departments or governmental agencies, as applicable, that are mandated by this article to provide victims' rights services on request.

    D. If the accused juvenile is cited and released by an Arizona traffic ticket and complaint form pursuant to section 8-323, the law enforcement agency shall inform the victim how to obtain additional information about subsequent proceedings.

    E. Law enforcement agencies within a county may establish different procedures designed to efficiently and effectively provide notice of the victim's rights pursuant to this article and notice to affected entities of victim request or waiver information. If different procedures are established, the procedures shall:

    1. Be reported to the entities within a county affected by the procedures and reported to the attorney general.

    2. Be designed so that detention centers within a county receive notice of the victim's request or waiver of the victim's predisposition rights at the same time that an accused juvenile is detained.

    3. Be designed so that the juvenile probation intake section of the county receives notice of the victim's request or waiver of the victim's predisposition rights at the same time that the case is referred to court.

    4. Provide that the notice to affected entities of a victim's request or waiver of the victim's predisposition rights includes information that allows the affected entity to contact the victim.

    5. Be supported by the use of brochures, forms or other written materials developed by the law enforcement agencies within a county and reviewed by the attorney general pursuant to section 8-398, subsection B.