Federal Victims Laws

Crime Victims’ Legal Protective Rights in America: A Historical Overview

Every year, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week creates an opportunity for communities to come together and reflect on the history of crime victims’ rights. The following highlights legislation that is making progress from 1974 to the present. The legislation is intended to help protect victims of crime. The passage of key federal and state legislation advances victim assistance approaches to helping crime victims. It tells the story of our nation’s capacity to help victims rebuild their lives.

Please understand, the following are names of federal victims legislation that were passed, in many states, training was not conducted with area law enforcement to enforce all of the laws when a victim is victimized. Work is being conducted to meet those obligations. Unfortunately, entirely too many people are victimized and there are not enough funds and victim services provided to date in order to protect all victims of crime.

FEDERAL VICTIMS LEGISLATION

1974 Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act

1980 Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act

1982 Victim and Witness Protection Act

1982 Missing Children’s Act

1984 VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT

1984 Justice Assistance Act

1984 Missing Children’s Assistance Act

1984 Family Violence Prevention and Services Act

1985 Children’s Justice Act

1988 Drunk Driving Prevention Act

1990 Hate Crime Statistics Act

1990 Victims of Child Abuse Act

1990 Victims’ Rights and Restitution Act

1990 National Child Search Assistance Act

1992 Battered Women’s Testimony Act

1993 Child Sexual Abuse Registry Act

1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act

1994 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT

1996 Community Notification Act (“Megan’s Law”)

1996 Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act

1996 Mandatory Victims’ Restitution Act

1997 Victims’ Rights Clarification Act

1998 Crime Victims with Disabilities Awareness Act

1998 Identity Theft and Deterrence Act

2000 Trafficking Victims Protection Act

2001 Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act (established September 11th Victim Compensation Fund)

2003 PROTECT Act (“Amber Alert” law)

2003 Prison Rape Elimination Act

2003 Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act

2004 JUSTICE FOR ALL ACT

Including Title I The Scott Campbell, Stephanie Roper, Wendy Preston, Louarna Gillis, and Nila Lynn Crime Victims’ Rights Act

2006 Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act

2010 Tribal Law and Order Act 2

 

Thank you,

 

Hope for Children Foundation