The Maricopa County Attorney's Office has a child-specialized program for victims to help them through the criminal justice process and get them on the road to recovery: the Kids in Court Program.

Being a child victim or witness to a crime is traumatic enough, but add having to testify in court, and the child can be downright terrified. Our goal in the County Attorney's Office is to alleviate some of that fear for the child, which is why our Victim Services Division offers a program to help child victims/witnesses and their families prepare for court.

The Kids In Court program offers a supportive and educational experience to help children and their parents/guardians reduce the anxiety associated with the court process. Children are referred to the program by the prosecutor or Victim Advocate. Families will then be contacted and invited to attend the program.

The program is staffed by professional Victim Advocates, Deputy County Attorneys and Judges who volunteer their time. The Kids In Court program is coordinated by the Victim Services Division and follows a script which was developed by a committee of professionals with a recognized interest in this area.

A PDF version of our Kids in Court Brochure is available for download. For more information, contact the Victim Services Division at (602) 506-8522

"Sam"

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has a 4-legged, cuddly team member working in the Victim Services Division. Sam is a service dog trained to work with victims of crime. Young victims are often traumatized by heinous crimes and intimidated by the criminal justice system. Sam provides the support needed for these victims to successfully attend court and confront their perpetrator. The specialized training Sam has received includes behavioral situations, mock court trials, passing through metal detectors and wand searches, calming young, adult and elderly victims, learning to work with multiple clients and remaining calm and focused when working with outside noises including sirens, emergency workers and even gavels. In addition to attending Court, Sam also attends interviews and meetings with his handler, he comforts witnesses and victims as they prepare testimony and give depositions. Sam spends many hours a week in the office and happily interacts with MCAO employees and attends community events when not assisting victims.