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RESOLUTION NO. 5113
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF ARCADIA IN SUPPORT OF LEGAL SERVICES FOR
VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIMES
WHEREAS, there have been more than 30,000 willful
homicide victims in California during the past 20 years; and
WHEREAS, the total annual number of reported major
crimes committed in California has increased from 2.76,658 in 1962
to 1,207,549 in 1981; and
WHEREAS, it i~morethan twice as likely today that a
resident of the. State of California ~fll be a crime victim than
it was 20 years ago; and
WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of not only
victims and their families but for all Californians for this
unfortunate scenario to be immediately changed for the better;
and
WHEREAS, the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime
has recently focused national attention on the plight of crime
victims; and
WHEREAS, the most effective and expeditious way to make
positive change is to create a systematic and universal,
statewide structure for providing services to victims and their
families; and
WHEREAS, the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School
of Law, is now in the process of creating such a statewide
structure, with its ultimate goal being to deliver services to
crime victims and their families; and
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WHEREAS, that statewide structure will use law school
clinical programs, a network of legal, medical and lay volunteers
and the sustained commitment of political, social, civic and
religious leaders and organizations to pursue the goal of
providing the following services everywhere in California:
(1) Represent victims of violent crime and their
families before the State Board of Control in compensation
hearings;
(2) Represent victims and their families in adult and
juvenile courts during sentencing, final disposition proceedings
and restitution hearings;
(3) Represent victims and their families in adult and
juvenile parole hearings;
(4) Represent victims and their families in civil
litigation against perpetrators or responsible third parties;
(5) Assist victims and their families in obtaining
assistance from public and private agencies;
(6) Establish a victims' hotline by use of a statewide
toll-free number so that victims and their families may easily
gain access to advice and assistance when needed;
(7) Compile a comprehensive list of victims'
assistance resources including legal and medical counseling,
financial and other resources to which victims can be referred;
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(8) Produce and distribute throughout California the
necessary audio-visual and print media public service
announcements to inform the citizenry about victims' rights and
promote the services made available through the statewide
McGeorge School of Law Victims Resource Center;
(9) Create and maintain a statewide network of
volunteer lawyers to assist in providing legal services to
victims and their families;
(10 )
Provide direct mailed material to victims
concerning victims' rights and crime prevention;
(11) Compile and maintain a library and brief bank of
victims' rights;
(12) Do scholarly research on victims' rights;
(13) Prepare and publish articles and other
publications relevant to promoting services to victims and their
families;
(14)
Act as a clearinghouse of information for
victims' assistance resources;
(15)
Provide legal assistance to victims' advocacy and
service programs;
(16) Train attorney and nonattorney victims' advocates
concerning the legal rights of victims;
(17) Prepare and file amicus curiae (friend of the
court) briefs in carefully selected local, state and national
victims' rights cases on appeal;
(18) Assist victims to enforce restitution orders
against perpetrators;
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(19) Provide support to the National Victims'
Assistance Legal Organization in its efforts to aid victims and
promote their rights;
(20) Promote awareness of the plight of victims and
their families;
WHEREAS, there is no similar comprehensive statewide
program for victims and their families; and
WHEREAS, local government has been asked by the State
to demonstrate support for this program,
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA
does hereby encourage and support the proposed program to provide
necessary legal services for crime victims.
The Clerk of the Council shall certify to the adoption
of this resolution.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing resolution was
adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of
Arcadia held on the 19th day of July, 1983, by the affirmative
vote of at least three Councilmen, to wit:
AYES: Councilmen Dring, Haltom, Hannah, Pellegrino & Lojeski
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
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City Clerk of the City of Arcadia
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SIGNED AND APPROVED this 19th day 0 July, 1983.
City Clerk
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Arcad:La
5113