The ASU College of Law will be the first law school in the country to provide legal assistance to victims of crimes with a $122,700 grant from the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Victims of Crime Act.
The program, which is scheduled to begin in January, will give about 100 law students the opportunity to assist victims of crimes by helping them assert their constitutional rights to be heard and to seek compensation.
"These kids are volunteering left and right," said Stasy Click, director of the Victim's Legal Assistance Project.
Approximately 15 students have currently signed up to work in conjunction with pro bono attorneys and prosecutors to provide victims with free legal advice.
Click said the Maricopa County Attorney's Office along with the Chandler, Goodyear and Surprise city prosecutors have expressed interest in the program.
"This is a program that is needed for them (victims) to be heard," Click said. "I think that they're still getting overlooked in the court system. By having an attorney to represent them they have a voice."
The Victims of Crime Act of 1984 was established as a way to provide millions of dollars of funding for victims throughout the country. Money for VOCA was provided by fees from criminal fines, forfeited bail bonds and penalty fees of convicted federal offenders.
Students involved in the law program, however, will not receive University credit for volunteering in the Victim's Legal Assistance Program, but will participate in a victim's criminal procedure training class.
"This program is not a clinic where students actually receive credit," ASU law professor Catherine O'Grady said, "but students will be able to do real work with victims in terms of interviewing them and providing input on the criminal justice system."
Law students involved in the program will be available to answer victim's questions and assist attorneys with cases and filing pleadings.
Victims will be referred to the project through state and victim, law enforcement and prosecuting agencies.
Reach Christina Higdon at grimm119@aol.com.
