Violent criminals routinely evade justice by intimidating the witnesses to their crimes. Intimidation crimes range from crude to complex and, when successful, evade the purview of the justice system, which allows the criminal behavior to continue unchecked. The pervasive nature of these crimes is devastating to victims and community confidence in the justice system's ability to keep victims safe and hold offenders accountable. Criminal justice professionals, community leaders, and researchers have declared witness intimidation a national concern and a challenge to administering justice.
Author: John Wilkinson, JD, Christopher Mallios, JD, and Rhonda Martinson, JD
Federal Sponsor Agency: BJA
Provider: AEquitas: The Prosecutors' Resource on Violence Against Women
Publication Date: 2013