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SCVAA > Academy Topics > Topic Abstracts > State Legislation on Victims RightsPrint

State Legislation on Victims Rights

In 1996, the South Carolina legislature cast a new actor in the drama known as the judicial system.  This previously excluded actor is the victim of the crime---a participant whose presence is now acknowledged as essential to the process, a participant whose presence has revolutionized the criminal justice system and forever changed the process.

Through a series of constitutional amendments and statutory implementations, the General Assembly guaranteed that the voices of victims will always be prominent in the procedures of South Carolina courts.  [FN1].  The purpose of this chapter is to present an overview of South Carolina victims’ rights legislation in order to assist victim advocates in their efforts to protect the rights of crime victims in our state.

Learning objectives include:

  • The history of crime victim legislation in South Carolina.
  • The rights guaranteed to South Carolina victims pursuant to the South Carolina Crime Victims' Rights Amendment.
  • The rights guaranteed to South Carolina victims pursuant to the amendment's implementation statutes.
The SC Victim Assistance Academy is sponsored by a grant from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs (State Victims Assistance Program #1W07023).  The grant was awarded to the Office of the Governor, State Office of Victim Assistance.  This is a collaborative project between SOVA, MUSC, and SCVAN.