I’ve spent my entire career in law enforcement and community corrections, over 38 years. In that time, I’ve worked with hundreds of crime victims. Yet even with all the years and all the experience, I can tell you that it never gets easier. Each new story you hear can be just as heartbreaking as the first.
It’s one of the toughest parts of the job. As a victim of a crime, you feel absolutely violated, and there’s only so much law enforcement can say or do to lessen that feeling. We can never fix this feeling completely, even when the offender is behind bars and serving his sentence.
I’m supporting Marsy’s Law for Montana because I know that it is going to make a difference for crime victims. It’s something we can do to make sure the victims are better served through the complicated and sometimes frustrating criminal justice process.
If you haven’t heard of Marsy’s Law, it’s a Crime Victim’s Bill of Rights that Montanans will have an opportunity to add to our state Constitution in this November’s election. The basic idea behind Marsy’s Law is to provide crime victims equal rights with offenders.
Marsy’s Law spells out specific rights for victims. For instance, it should be mandatory that victims be notified of hearings in their case, and be notified if the offender is going to be moved to a different corrections facility or if he comes up for parole.
I know these sound like small things. But for a crime victim who’s had their world turned upside down, having current knowledge about what is happening with the offender really does make a difference.
Think about it this way. When you’re a victim of crime, you’re left feeling helpless. To reverse that feeling, we need to take steps to make victims feel involved and empowered in the process. Marsy’s Law makes sure that victims have those rights.
A majority of states have Constitutional rights for victims of crime. Montana is one of eighteen states that does not. We need to change that, and this year’s election will give the citizens of Montana the opportunity to do so.
Imagine you’ve been victimized, at any level. Instead of being on your own, feeling confused and isolated, you should have the support of a system that will empower you, the victim, rather than the offender. That’s what Marsy’s Law will accomplish.
I’ve dedicated my life to law enforcement and helping victims, and I can’t stress enough how big a difference I think Marsy’s Law will make. Please join me in voting for Marsy’s Law, CI-116, this November.
Jimmy Patelis
Billings