Columbiana County is fortunate to have two outstanding Victim Liaisons (sometimes called “Victim Advocates”) that work for the Prosecutor’s Office. Victim Liaisons play a vital role in the criminal justice system, and a brief history of victim advocacy is in order to truly understand their role.

Shortly after WWII, it was widely determined that victims of crime should be entitled to financial reimbursement if they suffered a hardship due to crime. The first victim compensation laws were passed in New Zealand in 1963 and in the United States in 1965.

Victim advocacy is widely credited to the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC) which was founded in 1985. The NCVC was born out of tragedy, a result of the salacious Sunny von Bulow case. Ms. von Bulow’s husband was convicted of her attempted murder by insulin poisoning and sentenced to thirty years in prison. This verdict was overturned on appeal and he was acquitted in a second trial. Ms. von Bulow’s children stated that they never had a sense of, “Thank God it’s finally over…” They felt that they, and other victims of crime, were often shut out of proceedings and “revictimized” by the very system that was supposed to help them. Because of this, they wanted to redefine justice for crime victims.

Similarly in the mid-eighties, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the National Coalition against Domestic Violence, and Parents of Murdered Children began lobbying for legislative recognition of victims’ rights. At a national level, Congress passed the Victim and Witness Protection Act in 1982. State legislatures responded in kind. Ohio passed its own “Marsy’s Law” in 2017 which guaranteed crime victims the right to obtain information, receive notification of proceedings, be present and heard at proceedings, receive restitution, and be treated with respect, fairness and dignity throughout the criminal justice process.

In recognition of the difficulties many victims face during the criminal justice process, and in response to Marsy’s Law, most county prosecutors’ offices in Ohio now employ one or more Victim Liaisons. Our Columbiana County Victim Liaisons keep victims and their families informed about the progress of an investigation. They remind victims of scheduled court dates and inform them of what will likely take place during each stage of the proceedings. Victim Liaisons also refer victims to support services and can schedule a meeting with the prosecutor assigned to their case, if and when needed.

Importantly, by providing support directly to the victims, Victim Liaisons free police and prosecutors to continue their investigations. Victim Liaisons receive special training for this task, which is often emotionally taxing due to the nature of crime and injuries suffered by victims. Additionally, during active testimony, Victim Liaisons are generally permitted to sit with the victim, whereas law enforcement and prosecutors would not be permitted to do so. Certain courts even allow a Victim Liaison to read aloud a victim impact statement on behalf of a victim who is too scared to read it themselves during sentencing.

The role of a Victim Liaison cannot be overstated in our county criminal justice system. If you have any questions about your rights as a victim or family member of a victim, call 330-420-0140 and ask to speak to one of our victim advocates today.