The State Office of Victim/Witness Assistance, within the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office, is committed to ensuring that all victims of crime in New Hampshire are treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve, recognizing that the criminal justice system can be confusing and frightening to those citizens who have been traumatized by crime. The New Hampshire Crime Victim Bill of Rights outlines the rights victims have under the law.

THE ROLE OF THE OFFICE IN HOMICIDE CASES:

In New Hampshire, all homicides, excluding negligent homicides, are prosecuted out of the Homicide Bureau of the Attorney General's Office, enabling a centralized victim services unit to be involved from the onset of the investigation.

The Office has victim/witness advocates who are on-call 24 hours a day. When a homicide occurs anywhere in the state, an advocate responds to the scene and is responsible for notifying the victim's family of the death of their loved one and for providing immediate crisis intervention and support to both family members and witnesses to the crime. From arranging for the cleanup of the homicide scene, to informing the family on the results of the autopsy, to assisting them with funeral arrangements, each family requires extensive support and services at this difficult and extremely painful time.

Victim/Witness Services Include:

Crisis Intervention and Support
Provide intervention and support at the scene of the crime. The location where the murder occurs becomes a crime. The location where the murder occurs becomes a crime scene, which needs to be searched for evidence by law enforcement investigators. This process is usually completed within 48 hours, but could take up to a week. During this time, no one is allowed near the property. Advocates assist family members in retrieving essential personal items from the crime scene.

Death Notification
Assist with notifying family of the death if possible.

Orientation into the criminal justice system
Explain the process and court procedures.

Case status and disposition
Inform survivors of homicide victims and witnesses of ongoing status, dates and times of hearings, trials, final disposition, sentence review, reduction and parole hearings.

Court advocacy services
Provide pretrial courtroom tours, accompany and support survivors and witnesses throughout the pre-trial hearings, the trial, and post-disposition hearings.

Employer, school, landlord and creditor intervention
Assist in solving problems in these areas.

Referrals
Direct the victim to community resources for further assistance.

Property return assistance
Facilitate the return of property being held as evidence.

Assistance with "Victim Impact Statements"
Assist in the preparation of a statement to the Court describing the impact the crime has had on the victim. (Victim Impact Statement brochure)

Parole notification
Ensure that the victim is notified of the right to speak at the defendant's parole hearing and is informed of changes in parole status.