MARICOPA
COUNTY
A T T O R N E Y ’S
OFFICE

1998
ANNUAL
REPORT

T

MARICOPA COUNTY ATTORNEY is dedicated to the
vigorous prosecution of those who commit crimes
within the county. As the chief advocate for the
State and the citizens of the community in criminal matters,
the County Attorney seeks to provide the highest quality service and to maintain the integrity of the criminal justice system. Criminals must be held accountable, while assuring
that the statutory rights and emotional needs of victims and
witnesses are properly addressed. Additionally, the County
Attorney seeks to implement, promote and participate in
programs that reduce crime and enhance the quality of
community life. The County Attorney also contributes to
excellence in local government by providing complete legal
services to the county, its officers and political subdivisions.
HE

M I S S I O N
S T A T E M E N T

1

MISSION

A Message From the Maricopa County Attorney . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Victims’ Bill of Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4

T A B L E

Victim Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5

O F

Victim Witness Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Victim Services in Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Victim Witness Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Office Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Richard M. Romley, Maricopa County Attorney . . . . . . . . . . . .

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C O N T E N T S

For More Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . inside back cover

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E

VERY YEAR, MY OFFICE PROSECUTES

thousands of adult and juvenile offenders
for crimes committed in our community. Newspaper and television headlines often report on the crime and the crime suspect, but rarely share
the pain or anguish left behind. All too often, victims of crime are left physically
harmed or financially devastated because of a criminal act of another.
Long before I became County Attorney, I was concerned that the
hardships victims face were made worse by the criminal justice process. Victims
often lacked information about the criminal justice process, were never told of
court dates and were not permitted to have a voice in the sentence of the
defendant. In short, victims were treated as mere evidence. It was my goal to
see that this changed.
In 1989 I was honored to serve on the Arizona Victims’ Constitutional
Rights Steering Committee. For nearly two years, I — along with victims, victim service providers and other professionals — worked to see that constitutional rights for victims would become a reality in Arizona. In November 1990,
the Arizona Victims’ Bill of Rights was passed into law — becoming the first
comprehensive constitutional victims’ rights bill in the country. Now, nearly 10
years later, over 36 states have enacted constitutional amendments providing
rights for victims.
One of my first priorities after being elected County Attorney was to
enhance the services provided to victims participating in prosecution by ensuring that victim advocates were available to explain the court process, provide
supportive counseling and social service assistance. Since then, the Maricopa
County Attorney’s Office has been recognized by many national and local
organizations for the manner in which victims are treated.
Today, all of the employees of the County Attorney’s
Office work together as a team to ensure that victims are
afforded their rights, are provided necessary supportive services, and are given a voice in the criminal and juvenile justice
process. It is for these reasons that this year’s annual report will
focus on the services this Office provides to victims of crime.
To all of the staff of the Maricopa County Attorney’s
Office, I want to thank you for your dedication to our community. Through your efforts, the citizens of this county are
protected and the needs of victims are respected.
Sincerely,

Richard M. Romley
Maricopa County Attorney

A

M E S S A G E

F R O M

T H E

M A R I C O P A
C O U N T Y
A T T O R N E Y

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The citizens of Arizona approved an amendment to the Arizona
State Constitution in 1990 and created the Victims’ Bill of Rights.
V I C T I M S’
B I L L
O F
R I G H T S

§ 2.1.
VICTIMS’ BILL OF RIGHTS
To preserve and protect victims’ rights to justice and due
process, a victim of crime has a right:
1. To be treated with fairness, respect, and dignity, and to be free
from intimidation, harassment, or abuse, throughout the criminal
justice process.
2. To be informed, upon request, when the accused or convicted person is released from custody or has escaped.
3. To be present at and, upon request, to be informed of all criminal
proceedings where the defendant has the right to be present.
4. To be heard at any proceeding involving a post-arrest release decision, a negotiated plea, and sentencing.

4

5. To refuse an interview, deposition, or other discovery request by
the defendant, the defendant’s attorney, or other person acting on
behalf of the defendant.
6. To confer with the prosecution, after the crime against the victim
has been charged, before trial or before any disposition of the case
and to be informed of the disposition.
7. To read pre-sentence reports relating to the crime against the victim when they are available to the defendant.
8. To receive prompt restitution from the person or persons convicted of the criminal conduct that caused the victim’s loss or injury.
9. To be heard at any proceeding when any post-conviction release
from confinement is being considered.
10. To a speedy trial or disposition and prompt and final conclusion of
the case after the conviction and sentence.
11. To have all rules governing criminal procedure and the admissibility of evidence in all criminal proceedings protect victims’ rights
and to have these rules be subject to amendment or repeal by the
legislature to ensure the protection of these rights.
12. To be informed of victims’ constitutional rights.

RIGHTS

VICTIM SERVICES MISSION STATEMENT

T

HE

VICTIM WITNESS DIVISION of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is

committed to balancing the scales of justice by empowering victims of
crime to exercise their rights. Our Division strives to promote fairness,

V I C T I M
S E R V I C E S

respect and dignity for crime victims while advocating for their constitutional rights. Through this process we strive to reduce the trauma associated with participation in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System and
provide victim assistance and victim compensation services in order to
“make the victim whole again.” We value these ideals not only because victims deserve no less, but because our community’s sense of decency is
enhanced when these rights and services are part of our justice system.

VICTIM SERVICES
5

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office prosecutes thousands of adult
and juvenile offenders for crimes committed in Maricopa County. The victims
of those crimes are often left physically and emotionally harmed or financially
devastated. In an effort to “make the victim whole again,” the Maricopa County
Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Division strives daily to provide victims’ rights
assistance and supportive services to over 25,000 victims of crimes committed
by adult and juvenile offenders. During 1997 the Division provided 417,543
victims’ rights services to victims of adult offenders and 140,403 services to victims of crimes perpetrated by juveniles which included notification of all criminal or juvenile proceedings, the right to refuse a defense interview, the right
to confer with the prosecutor about the disposition of the criminal or juvenile
offense, including the victim’s views about plea or sentence negotiations, and
the victim’s right to be present throughout all criminal proceedings in which
the defendant has the right to be present. In addition, Victim Witness Advocates
provided over 291,000 victim assistance services which included crisis counseling, social service referrals, emergency food and shelter, criminal and juvenile justice system advocacy and victim compensation assistance and referral.

SERVICES

INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS ASSIST CRIME VICTIMS
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office created new, innovative
programs to help victims during the prosecutorial process.
V I C T I M
W I T N E S S
P R O G R A M S

•

Victim Compensation Bureau
The Victim Compensation Bureau within the Victim Witness Division provides financial assistance to cover lost wages, medical expenses, counseling services, and funeral expenses to victims of crime in Maricopa County.
Each claimant for compensation may be reimbursed up to $10,000 to cover
out-of-pocket expenses incurred because of the crime. The Bureau provided more than $650,000 in reimbursement fees to victims of crime in
1997. The Victim Compensation Board, consisting of community volunteers, reviewed over 500 requests for compensation. In many of these
cases, the Victim Compensation Bureau successfully negotiated with many
service providers to accept 50% as payment in full, resulting in a savings of
over $160,000, which enabled the Bureau to financially assist more victims.

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•

Spanish Speakers Assistance Program
The Spanish Speakers Assistance Program was created to better service
victims whose primary language is Spanish. This language barrier often
prevented them from exercising their victims’ rights. In 1997, all correspondence and information utilized by the Victim Witness Division for
English speakers was translated into Spanish. During 1997, the program
assisted 3,232 Hispanic victims in exercising their victims’ rights and
providing supportive social services.

PROGRAMS

•

Kids in Court Program
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office Kids in Court Program brings attorneys, judges and social workers together to help child victims and witnesses prepare to testify in court. The driving force behind this program
centers on the idea of getting children into a courtroom setting to help
reduce their anxiety about testifying by providing information about the
criminal justice system before they are called to testify. Victim Witness
Advocates, volunteers, attorneys, and a Superior Court Judge meet with
child victims to do role playing, to talk about what to expect during the
trial, and to work with parents throughout the trial process. The program
has been tremendously successful at reducing the anxiety and trauma to
both children and parents during the trial process. In 1997, 106 child victims and witnesses attended a Kids in Court educational session.

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•

Volunteer/Intern Bureau
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office formed a Volunteer/Intern Bureau
in 1997. This Bureau is devoted to developing and fostering relationships
with individuals who wish to volunteer their time and energy to help victims of crime. This program has been tremendously successful at assisting
Victim Witness Advocates’ work with victims. Volunteers go through an
intensive three-day training session. Many volunteers work with victims
throughout prosecution to provide victims rights and assistance services,
case and criminal justice information, and to escort victims to court appearances. In 1997 volunteers and interns provided over 700 hours of victim
services.

•

Services for Neighborhood Associations
In 1997, the Arizona State Legislature enacted legislation to provide victims’
rights to Neighborhood Associations. In Maricopa County, neighborhoods
are all too often subjected to crimes involving drugs and prostitution. In an
effort to keep Neighborhood Associations apprised of the prosecution of
adults and juveniles in their community involved in these types of crimes,
the Victim Witness Division provides notification of all court proceedings
to a designated representative of the Neighborhood Association upon
request. During 1997, Neighborhood Associations were provided victims’
rights services in over 300 cases.

•

Victim Notification System
The Victim Notification System is a computer application specifically
designed to generate letters that inform victims about hearings, court dates
and other important dates associated with the case. The Victim Notification
System also assists Victim Witness Advocates in managing their victim

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cases. The program allows advocates to track cases, track correspondence
with victims, and track victim assistance related matters. This system is an
extremely important tool for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office
because it efficiently allows the Victim Witness Division to keep victims
informed of case status while continuously informing victims of their rights
throughout the entire court process. The Victim Notification System generated over 130,000 notification letters to victims in 1997.

•

Victim Satisfaction Survey
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office strives to provide services to victims
which enable them to exercise their constitutional and statutory rights and
aid them while they are participating in prosecution. In an effort to determine their satisfaction with the services provided by prosecutors, advocates
and other employees, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office began mailing surveys in December 1996 to victims upon the disposition of the criminal or juvenile case. From these surveys, the Maricopa County Attorney’s
Office is able to address any problems or issues relating to victim services.
Ninety-five percent (95%) of the surveys returned in 1997 expressed
the victims’ frustration with the criminal and juvenile justice process and
ninety-one percent (91%) of the surveys rated the employees of the
Maricopa County Attorney’s Office as either good or excellent in the services they provided to victims.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has done a tremendous job of protecting the rights of crime victims. However, victims’ rights can never be
fully realized until there is participation from all entities involved in the
criminal justice process. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will never
waiver from the challenge to ensure that victims are treated with fairness,
dignity and respect by the entire criminal justice system.

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V I C T I M

A

NEW PROGRAM

is in the development stage that will enhance Victim

Witness services for victims and the community. The proposed
project centers on the creation of a crisis response team.

S E R V I C E S
I N

Crisis Response Team

D E V E L O P M E N T

The crisis response team will provide immediate counseling at the
scene of the crime to help victims begin to deal with the emotional effects of
crime. Advocates and volunteers will be on hand to work with victims through
the grieving process, be available to answer questions about the crime and provide referrals to Valley social service agencies.
The goal of the Crisis Response Team is to:

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1)

give victims of particularly heinous crimes immediate crisis
counseling;

2)

help reduce secondary victimization from other county agencies

3)

by serving as the liaison between the victim and the agency;
and provide the opportunity for advocates and volunteers to
immediately bond with the victim in an effort to enhance prosecution of cases.

VICTIM SERVICES
Number of Victims

Adult
Juvenile

FY ’97/’98

Change
From ’96/’97

17,972
7,629

Number of Victim Services

Adult
Juvenile

2.9%*
135.9%*

FY ’97/’98

Change
From ’96/’97

611,319
237,728

7.8%*
141.7%*

V I C T I M
W I T N E S S
S T A T I S T I C S

*Juvenile Victims’ Rights became effective September 1, 1997

BREAKDOWN OF VICTIM RIGHTS SERVICES
FOR ADULT AND JUVENILE CASES
Number of
Victims’ Rights Services

Notice to victims of their rights and how
they may confer with the prosecutor
during the prosecution of the case
Notice to victims of all scheduled
criminal or juvenile proceedings
Notice to victims regarding the conviction
and their sentencing rights
Notice to victims regarding the sentence
imposed on the defendant
or juvenile and post-conviction
or post-adjudication rights
Notice to the victim of the defendant’s
request for an interview and victim’s
right to refuse the interview
Total Victims’ Rights Services

FY ’97/’98

Change
From ’96/’97

256,619

9.1%

61,320

1.4%

157,040

100.2%

57,143

56.9%

1,198

75.1%

557,946

+35.3%

BREAKDOWN OF VICTIM ASSISTANCE SERVICES
FOR ADULT AND JUVENILE CASES
Number of
Victim Assistance Services

FY ’97/’98

Change
From ’96/’97

Information and referrals to
community agencies

1,180

12.8%

Crisis counseling

1,974

6.9%

Short-term counseling
Emergency food and shelter

46,902
64

20.6%
39.1%

Criminal Justice System support
and advocacy

59,098

16.4%

1,511
180,372

66.0%
20.3%

291,101

+19.5%

Victim Compensation claim assistance
Notification services
Total Victim Assistance Services

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ADULT FELONY CASE FILINGS
Crime
O F F I C E
S T A T I S T I C S

FY ’97/’98

Part I, UCR*
Homicide
Sexual Assault
Robbery
Aggravated Assault
Burglary
Arson
Vehicular Theft
Theft
Part II, UCR*
Drug Related
Other Offenses
Total

Change
From ’96/’97

162
96
751
2,387
1,869
26
1,429
1,429

–3.0%
–16.5%
14.3%
5.4%
9.8%
–31.6%
45.5%
–3.5%

13,703
4,640

4.0%
18.4%

26,492

8.1%

*Federal Bureau of Investigations Uniform Crime Report
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JUVENILE PETITION FILINGS
Crime

FY ’97/’98

Change
From ’96/’97

Part I, UCR*
Homicide
Sexual Assault
Robbery
Aggravated Assault
Burglary
Arson
Vehicular Theft
Theft

11
8
131
679
1,272
31
754
2,208

–35.3%
–27.3%
–39.6%
–14.4%
–3.9%
–3.1%
–13.9%
19.5%

Part II, UCR*
Drug Related
Other Offenses

1,434
4,530

–0.6%
2.2%

11,058

0.6%

Total

*Federal Bureau of Investigations Uniform Crime Report
(Note: After July 1997 juveniles 15 years and older accused of committing homicide,
aggravated assault and other violent crime were charged as adults under the Juvenile
Justice Reform Act.)

STATISTICS

ADULT CASES FILED
FY ’93/’94 to FY ’97/’98

Violent and Non-violent Crimes as defined by Part I, Uniform Crime Report
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JUVENILE PETITIONS FILED
FY ’93/’94 to FY ’97/’98

Violent and Non-violent Crimes as defined by Part I, Uniform Crime Report

CONVICTION RATE
Superior Court Cases, FY ’97/’98

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Overview of the
Maricopa County
Attorney’s Office
• One of the six largest
prosecuting attorney’s
offices in the country.
• Staff of 787 including
266 prosecutors, 32
attorneys handling civil
matters, 57 legal assistants, 47 victim witness
advocates, 53 investigators, and 332 support
and administrative staff.
• Eight support staff
volunteers, 34 victim
witness advocate volunteers, and 67 legal
assistant volunteers.
• Five locations throughout Maricopa County
including offices downtown and Mesa, juvenile
offices in West Phoenix
and Mesa.

In fiscal year ’97/’98, over 20,000 adult felony matters were concluded
in Superior Court. Over 89% of these cases resulted in a conviction, 10%
resulted in dismissal, often for reasons such as a conviction in a related case,
death of the defendant, or inability to locate key witnesses. Less than 1% of the
dispositions were the result of acquittal at trial.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office conviction rate continues to
exceed the national average.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office was well represented in the Veterans Day Parade.

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Above: The Slumlord Task Force
was unveiled. Right: Law enforcement agencies teamed up to battle
an international drug cartel.

Funds from the Office’s RICO account
are used to support youth programs
such as ballet folklórico dancers.

Below: Victim Rights Advocates
celebrate the April 1998 kickoff
of Victims’ Rights Week.

1998

Richard M. Romley

R I C H A R D
M.
R O M L E Y

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Maricopa County Attorney
1989–Present
Nationally recognized, Rick Romley has earned the reputation as a
leader in criminal justice issues. In his third term as the Maricopa County
Attorney, he is responsible for administering the sixth largest prosecuting
attorney’s office in the United States. As such, Rick is often turned to for
advice and counsel on issues important to Arizona and our Nation. Rick has
been invited to testify before Congress and to address national organizations
on issues such as violent crime, terrorism, drug trafficking and public corruption. In November of 1997, Rick was honored in Washington, D.C., and
presented with the National Leadership Award. In his essay, “There
Are No Civilized Crimes” (Wall Street Journal, December 18, 1995), Rick
reflects a comprehensive understanding of the many dimensions of criminal
behavior and his commitment to working toward solutions.
Rick has championed many prosecution and reform policies.
He helped Arizona become one of our Nation’s first states to pass a
Constitutional amendment which guarantees that victims are afforded certain
rights during the criminal justice process. He played a leading role in rewriting Arizona’s Criminal Code, which resulted in “Truth-in-Sentencing” statutes
that require convicted criminals to serve their full time. Rick was a prominent
figure in the drive to reform Juvenile Justice. It was under his direction that
AzSCAM, the most significant public corruption case in Arizona’s history, was
successfully investigated and prosecuted. For the past two years, he has been
a key sponsor of the Phoenix Violence Prevention Initiative — an effort to
develop a long-term and comprehensive strategy to prevent violent crime.
While Rick is known as a tough prosecutor, he also believes in the
need to develop integrated public policies that enhance public safety. His
strategy ensures that chronic and violent offenders are prison bound while
promoting programs that prevent youth from starting on the path towards
crime. Through his vision, citizens in Maricopa County are seeing improvements in their neighborhoods — a dramatic decrease in graffiti, reduced
blight and substandard living conditions, reduced crime rate by chronic
offenders, and growth in the number of positive and productive youth.
On a personal note, Rick was born in Tucson, Arizona, in 1949.
Continuing a family tradition of over one hundred years, Rick and his wife,
Carol, make their home in Arizona. They have three sons: Darren, David and
Aaron. As a youth, Rick joined the United States Marine Corps and served as
a squad leader in Vietnam until wounded. After returning from Vietnam, he
enrolled at Arizona State University, graduating with honors in 1974 with a
Degree in Business Management. He then began a five-year career as the
owner-operator of a retail business. During this time he decided upon a
career change, sold his business, enrolled in law school at Arizona State
University and received his Juris Doctorate in 1981. Since then, he has been
a prosecutor committed to a career in public service.
Rick Romley takes pride in being an innovative, aggressive
prosecutor dedicated to improving the quality of life for the citizens of
Maricopa County.

F

on the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, please
use the following numbers:
OR MORE INFORMATION

F O R

I N F O R M A T I O N

Maricopa County Attorney’s Office
Downtown (Main Number) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506-3411
301 W. Jefferson Street • Phoenix, AZ 85003
Victim Witness Downtown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506-8522
Victim Compensation Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506-4955
Victim Witness Volunteer Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506-4922
Southeast Facility (Main Number) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506-2400
222 E. Javelina, Suite 2400 • Mesa, AZ 85210
Victim Witness Southeast Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506-2488
Juvenile Division Eastside Office (Main Number) . . . . . 962-8002
540 W. Iron Avenue, Suite 110 • Mesa, AZ 85210
Victim Witness Juvenile Eastside Bureau . . . . . . . . . . 962-8002
Juvenile Division Westside Office (Main Number) . . . . 455-3877
3501 W. Osborn Avenue • Phoenix, AZ 85019
Victim Witness Juvenile Westside Bureau . . . . . . . . . . 455-3877
Wells Fargo Facility (Main Number) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372-7350
100 W. Washington, 21st Floor • Phoenix, AZ 85003

Specific Information on Programs of Interest
Kids in Court Program . . . . . . . . . .
Media Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Speakers Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Maricopa County Demand Reduction
Adoptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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506-8522
506-3411
506-7799
506-7799
506-1671

Hotlines
Hate Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506-5000
Slumlord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372-7586
Graffiti Busters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495-7014

R ICHARD M. ROMLEY
Maricopa County Attorney
301 West Jefferson Street, Suite 800
Phoenix, AZ 85003-2151