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8 <br /> <br /> <br />d. Resolution in Support of Better Protections and Safeguards to Victims <br />The Board approved a Resolution in Support of Better Protections and Safeguards to <br />Victims and authorized the Chair to sign the Resolution. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: At the March 8, 2018 Board meeting, the Board voiced an interest in <br />considering a Resolution in Support of Better Protections and Safeguards to Victims. <br />Commissioner Renee Price drafted the attached resolution. <br /> <br />According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) recent report, “Crime in the United <br />States”, in 2013, a total of 33,700 North Carolinians were the victims of Violent “Index Crimes” <br />including: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft and <br />arson. <br /> <br />Voters in California passed the Victim’s Bill of Rights Act of 2008, also known as Marsy’s Law, <br />and other states are enacting similar laws to guarantee victims’ rights and provide victims with a <br />voice. <br /> <br />House Bill 551/Senate Bill 595, a bill to amend the Law and Constitution of North Carolina, has <br />been introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly in the spirit of Marsy’s Law to provide <br />better protections and safeguards to victims of crimes. <br /> <br /> Commissioner Price read the resolution: <br />RES-2018-019 <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />RESOLUTION <br />IN SUPPORT OF BETTER PROTECTIONS AND SAFEGUARDS TO VICTIMS <br /> <br />WHEREAS , Marsy’s Law For North Carolina and advocacy organizations statewide are <br />dedicated to guaranteeing victims’ rights and providing a voice; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Marsy’s Law For North Carolina supporters agree that victims should <br />always be treated with fairness and respect throughout the criminal justice process, protected <br />from the defendant, reasonably heard at public proceedings regarding their case, and given a <br />voice through the process of the case; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) recent report, <br />“Crime in the United States”, in 2013, a total of 33,700 North Carolinians were the victims of <br />Violent “Index Crimes” including: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, <br />motor vehicle theft and arson; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Marsy’s Law for North Carolina will ensure that victims receive the same <br />rights that are afforded to criminals, and have rights to notification of release, hearings, <br />appropriate restitution and the right to speak during criminal proceedings; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, voters in California passed the Victim’s Bill of Rights Act of 2008 <br />[Proposition 9], also known as Marsy’s Law, and other states are enacting similar laws; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, victims’ rights are a non-partisan, non-political issue, and Marsy’s Law is <br />one approach to ensuring victims’ rights; <br />