950.02
950.02
Definitions. In this chapter:
950.02(1)
(1) "Child" means a person who is less than 18 years of age.
950.02(1m)
(1m) "Crime" means an act committed in this state which, if committed by a competent adult, would constitute a crime, as defined in
s. 939.12.
950.02(1t)
(1t) "Custodial agency" means any person authorized to arrest or take into actual physical custody an individual who is alleged to have committed a crime. "Custodial agency" includes a law enforcement agency, a sheriff, superintendent or other keeper of a jail and a person authorized to take custody of a juvenile under
s. 938.19 or
938.20 (4).
950.02(2)
(2) "Department" means the department of justice.
950.02(2m)
(2m) "District attorney" means any of the following:
950.02(2m)(a)
(a) The district attorney or other person authorized to prosecute a criminal case or a delinquency proceeding under
ch. 938.
950.02(2m)(b)
(b) A person designated by a person specified in
par. (a) to perform the district attorney's duties under this chapter.
950.02(3)
(3) "Family member" means spouse, child, sibling, parent or legal guardian.
950.02(4)(a)2.
2. If the person specified in
subd. 1. is a child, a parent, guardian or legal custodian of the child.
950.02(4)(a)3.
3. If a person specified in
subd. 1. is physically or emotionally unable to exercise the rights granted under
s. 950.04 or
article I, section 9m, of the Wisconsin constitution, a person designated by the person specified in
subd. 1. or a family member of the person specified in
subd. 1.
950.02(4)(a)4.
4. If a person specified in
subd. 1. is deceased, any of the following:
950.02(4)(a)5.
5. If a person specified in
subd. 1. has been determined to be incompetent under
ch. 880, the guardian of the person appointed under
ch. 880.
950.02(4)(b)
(b) "Victim" does not include the person charged with or alleged to have committed the crime.
950.02(4m)
(4m) "Victim and witness office" means an organization or program that provides services for which the county receives reimbursement under this chapter.
950.02(5)
(5) "Witness" means any person who has been or is expected to be summoned to testify for the prosecution, or who by reason of having relevant information is subject to call or likely to be called as a witness for the prosecution, whether or not any action or proceeding has yet been commenced.
950.03
950.03
Eligibility of victims. A victim has the rights and is eligible for the services under this chapter only if the crime has been reported to law enforcement authorities.
950.03 History
History: 1979 c. 219;
1991 a. 159.
950.04
950.04
Basic bill of rights for victims and witnesses. 950.04(1v)(1v)
Rights of victims. Victims of crimes have the following rights:
950.04(1v)(b)
(b) To attend court proceedings in the case, subject to
ss. 906.15 and
938.299 (1). The court may require the victim to exercise his or her right under this paragraph using telephone or live audiovisual means, if available, if the victim is under arrest, incarcerated, imprisoned or otherwise detained by any law enforcement agency or is admitted or committed on an inpatient basis to a treatment facility under
ch. 51,
971 or
980, and the victim does not have a person specified in
s. 950.02 (4) (a) 3. to exercise the victim's right under this paragraph.
950.04(1v)(bm)
(bm) To be provided with appropriate intercession services to ensure that employers of victims will cooperate with the criminal justice process and the juvenile justice process in order to minimize an employee's loss of pay and other benefits resulting from court appearances.
950.04(1v)(d)
(d) To request an order for, and to be given the results of, testing to determine the presence of a communicable disease, as provided under
ss. 938.296 or
968.38.
950.04(1v)(em)
(em) To have his or her interests considered by the court in determining whether to exclude persons from a preliminary hearing, as provided under
s. 970.03 (4).
950.04(1v)(f)
(f) To have the parole commission make a reasonable attempt to notify the victim of applications for parole, as provided under
s. 304.06 (1).
950.04(1v)(j)
(j) To have, at his or her request, the opportunity to consult with the prosecution in a case brought in a court of criminal jurisdiction, as provided under
s. 971.095 (2).
950.04(1v)(k)
(k) To a speedy disposition of the case in which they are involved as a victim in order to minimize the length of time they must endure the stress of their responsibilities in connection with the matter.
950.04(1v)(n)
(n) To have direct input in the parole decision-making process, as provided by the rules promulgated under
s. 304.06 (1) (em).
950.04(1v)(o)
(o) To have information concerning the impact of a delinquent act on the victim included in a court report under
s. 938.33 and to have the person preparing the court report attempt to contact the victim, as provided under
s. 938.331.
950.04(1v)(p)
(p) To have the person preparing a presentence investigation under
s. 972.15 make a reasonable attempt to contact the victim, as provided in
s. 972.15 (2m).
950.04(1v)(pm)
(pm) To have the court provided with information pertaining to the economic, physical and psychological effect of the crime upon the victim and have the information considered by the court.
950.04(1v)(s)
(s) To have any stolen or other personal property expeditiously returned by law enforcement agencies when no longer needed as evidence. If feasible, all such property, except weapons, currency, contraband, property subject to evidentiary analysis and property the ownership of which is disputed, shall be returned to the person within 10 days of being taken.
950.04(1v)(um)
(um) To have district attorneys make a reasonable attempt to notify the victim under
s. 971.17 (4m) regarding conditional releases under
s. 971.17.
950.04(1v)(v)
(v) To have the department of corrections make a reasonable attempt to notify the victim under
s. 301.046 (4) regarding community residential confinements, under
s. 301.048 (4m) regarding participation in the intensive sanctions program, under
s. 301.38 regarding escapes from a Type 1 prison, under
s. 301.46 (3) regarding persons registered under
s. 301.45, under
s. 302.115 regarding release upon expiration of certain sentences, under
s. 304.063 regarding extended supervision and parole releases, and under
s. 938.51 regarding release or escape of a juvenile from correctional custody.
950.04(1v)(vm)
(vm) To have the appropriate clerk of court send the victim a copy of an inmate's petition for extended supervision and notification of the hearing on that petition under
s. 302.114 (6).
950.04(1v)(w)
(w) To have the department of corrections make a reasonable attempt to notify the victim under
s. 303.068 (4m) regarding leave granted to qualified inmates under 303.068.
950.04(1v)(x)
(x) To have the department of health and family services make a reasonable attempt to notify the victim under
s. 971.17 (6m) regarding termination or discharge under
s. 971.17 and under
s. 51.37 (10) regarding home visits under
s. 51.37 (10).
950.04(1v)(xm)
(xm) To have the department of health and family services make a reasonable attempt to notify the victim under
s. 980.11 regarding supervised release under
s. 980.08 and discharge under
s. 980.09 or
980.10.
950.04(1v)(ym)
(ym) To have the governor make a reasonable attempt to notify the victim of a pardon application, as provided under
s. 304.09 (2) and
(3).
950.04(1v)(zm)
(zm) To request information from a district attorney concerning the disposition of a case involving a crime of which he or she was a victim, as provided under
s. 971.095 (6).
950.04(1v)(zx)
(zx) To complain to the department of justice concerning the treatment of crime victims, as provided under
s. 950.08 (3), and to request review by the crime victims rights board of the complaint, as provided under
s. 950.09 (2).
950.04(2w)
(2w) Rights of witnesses. Witnesses of crimes have the following rights:
950.04(2w)(a)
(a) To request information from the district attorney about the final disposition of the case.
950.04(2w)(b)
(b) To be notified that a court proceeding to which they have been subpoenaed will not go on as scheduled, in order to save the person an unnecessary trip to court.
950.04(2w)(c)
(c) To receive protection from harm and threats of harm arising out of their cooperation with law enforcement and prosecution efforts, and to be provided with information as to the level of protection available.
950.04(2w)(d)
(d) To be informed of financial assistance and other social services available as a result of being a witness of a crime, including information on how to apply for the assistance and services.
950.04(2w)(e)
(e) To be informed of the procedure to be followed in order to apply for and receive any witness fee to which they are entitled.
950.04(2w)(fm)
(fm) To have any stolen or other personal property expeditiously returned by law enforcement agencies when no longer needed as evidence. If feasible, all such property, except weapons, currency, contraband, property subject to evidentiary analysis and property the ownership of which is disputed, shall be returned to the person within 10 days of being taken.
950.04(2w)(g)
(g) To be provided with appropriate intercession services to ensure that employers of witnesses will cooperate with the criminal justice process and the juvenile justice process in order to minimize an employee's loss of pay and other benefits resulting from court appearances.
950.04(2w)(h)
(h) To be entitled to a speedy disposition of the case in which they are involved as a witness in order to minimize the length of time they must endure the stress of their responsibilities in connection with the matter.
950.04 Annotation
A sentencing court does not abuse its discretion by considering a victim's statements and recommendations. State v. Johnson,
158 Wis. 2d 458,
463 N.W.2d 352 (Ct. App. 1990).
950.04 Annotation
The requirement in sub. (1) of notice to a victim of a defendant's release from custody applies to all felonies charged under ch. 948. Notice is to be given to victims of all crimes charged under ch. 940, whether misdemeanors or felonies. Notice requirements of the statute apply to individual persons, not business enterprises or corporations.
79 Atty. Gen. 1.
950.055
950.055
Child victims and witnesses; rights and services. 950.055(1)(1)
Legislative intent. The legislature finds that it is necessary to provide child victims and witnesses with additional consideration and different treatment than that usually afforded to adults. The legislature intends, in this section, to provide these children with additional rights and protections during their involvement with the criminal justice or juvenile justice system. The legislature urges the news media to use restraint in revealing the identity of child victims or witnesses, especially in sensitive cases.
950.055(2)
(2) Additional services. In addition to all rights afforded to victims and witnesses under
s. 950.04 and services provided under
s. 950.06 (1m), counties are encouraged to provide the following additional services on behalf of children who are involved in criminal or delinquency proceedings as victims or witnesses:
950.055(2)(a)
(a) Explanations, in language understood by the child, of all legal proceedings in which the child will be involved.
950.055(2)(b)
(b) Advice to the judge, when appropriate and as a friend of the court, regarding the child's ability to understand proceedings and questions. The services may include providing assistance in determinations concerning the taking of videotaped depositions under
s. 908.08 or
967.04 (7) and
(8) and the duty to expedite proceedings under
s. 971.105.
950.055(2)(c)
(c) Advice to the district attorney concerning the ability of a child witness to cooperate with the prosecution and the potential effects of the proceedings on the child.
950.055(2)(d)
(d) Information about and referrals to appropriate social services programs to assist the child and the child's family in coping with the emotional impact of the crime and the subsequent proceedings in which the child is involved.
950.055(3)
(3) Program responsibility. In each county, the county board is responsible for the provision of services under this section. A county may seek reimbursement for services provided under this section as part of its program plan submitted to the department under
s. 950.06. To the extent possible, counties shall utilize volunteers and existing public resources for the provision of these services.
950.06
950.06
Reimbursement for services. 950.06(1m)
(1m) To be eligible for reimbursement under this section for the provision of services to victims and witnesses, a county shall provide all of the following services to victims and witnesses:
950.06(1m)(a)
(a) Court appearance notification services, including cancellation of appearances.
950.06(1m)(b)
(b) Victim compensation and social services referrals, including witness fee collection, case-by-case referrals and public information.
