Rhode Island General Laws

R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-28-9 (2026)

Victims’ services unit

✓ current as of July 2026

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(a) There is created within the state court system a victims’ services unit which shall be responsible for assisting victims of crimes adjudicated in the superior, family, and district courts in the exercise of their rights as set forth in this chapter, and it shall be administered by the state court administrator through the administrative office of the state courts. The state court administrator may in his or her discretion contract for any services to be provided to victims of crimes pursuant to this chapter or pursuant to § 12-25-29. Services provided to victims of crimes shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) Identification of and outreach to victims to inform them of their rights and of the services available to them;

(2) Counseling and support, including referral to specialized counseling resources;

(3) Assistance in seeking return of property, restitution, and in filing claims for compensation under the violent crimes indemnity fund or under the criminal royalties fund;

(4) Assistance in preparing for and making court appearances and in making victim impact statements;

(5) Notification about the status of their cases in coordination with representatives of the attorney general or the relevant law enforcement agency; and

(6) Any other assistance that may further the rights of victims.

(b) In determining the allocation of resources available to implement this section, victims who have suffered personal injury and the immediate families of homicide victims shall be given priority over victims who have suffered only loss of property.

(c) The state court administrator shall report annually on the services provided through this unit.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 3 cases, 1995–1998 · leading case: State v. McDowell, 685 A.2d 252 (R.I. 1996).

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State v. McDowell, 685 A.2d 252 (R.I. 1996). · cites it 6× “Several days later, the trial justice, citing G.L.1956 § 12-28-9, ruled that Cheryl Morgan would be allowed to remain in the courtroom while HL testified.”

Providence Journal Co. v. Rodgers, 711 A.2d 1131 (R.I. 1998). “” § 12-28-9; G.L. 1956 chapter 72 of title 42, addressing "Department of Children, Youth, and Families," which provides in pertinent part that ”[a]ny records of the department pertaining to children and their families in need of service pursuant to the provisions of this chapter…”

State v. Micheli, 656 A.2d 980 (R.I. 1995). “1956 (1981 Reenactment) § 12-28-9, as enacted by P.L.1985, ch. 411, § 2, which addresses the rights of child victims, he would allow this initial hearing to take place.”

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.