More than $1,000,000 Paid to Victims by Clerk of Superior Court

(PHOENIX, AZ) June 22, 2010 – The National Association of Counties (NACo) has awarded the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office a 2011 NACo Achievement Award for its Crime Victims Entitled Restitution program. Launched just over a year ago in partnership with the Clerk of Superior Court, the program uses Investigators with the County Attorney’s Office to locate crime victims whom the Court has been unable to find in order to pay them restitution they are owed by defendants. To date, the program has made it possible for these individuals to receive a total of over $1,000,000 in court ordered restitution.

By contacting family members or known associates and by using computer databases available only to law enforcement, the County Attorney’s Investigators are able to locate victims who have moved and left no forwarding address. Funds are paid by defendants based on court ordered restitution to the victims. The work to locate these victims is completed by Investigators on a voluntary basis during non-duty hours and at no additional cost to taxpayers.

“This is an example of the cooperative, collaborative relationship our office is forging with other government agencies in service to the people of Maricopa County,” said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery. “The success of this program underscores the strong commitment of this office to honor and respect the rights of crime victims,” he added.

In his letter of congratulations to the Maricopa Attorney’s Office, NACo Executive Director Larry Naake indicated that NACo will publish a summary of the program and make it available on their Model Programs database. He also identified the program as a candidate for a County News, Focus on Achievement column.

###