Under the Utah State Constitution, all victims of a crime have a right to be treated with fairness, respect, and dignity and to be free from harassment and abuse throughout the criminal justice process.
- Prosecuting agency shall provide an initial notice to victims when a crime is charged.
- A victim has a right to be present and heard at important criminal justice system proceedings.
- In court, a victim has a right to privacy regarding address and telephone number, unless court order disclosure.
- The court shall consider the interests of the victim to a speedy resolution of the charges.
- The examination/cross-examination of a child victim less than 14 years of age shall be conducted in age appropriate language.
- For child victims, the court may decide if the minor child can exercise all rights of a victim, or appoint a person to represent the interests of the victim.
-
Additionally, child victims of a crime have the right to:
- Protection from abuse during criminal justice process.
- Not be questioned in a manner implying responsibility for inappropriate behavior adults commit against them.
- Coordination of appropriate investigative interviews to reduce number of interviews and trauma for the child.
- Be informed of available community resources that may be helpful, including counseling.