PACHECO JOINS BATTIN FOR ELDER ABUSE LEGISLATION

RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, February 21, 2008: Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco joined Senator Jim Battin to pass two important pieces of public safety legislation it was announced today.

"My investigators sit through hours of intense testimony with victims and watch the intimidating affects a trial can have on a witness, this legislation is needed to provide necessary support at a very difficult time for our elderly and dependent adults," said District Attorney Pacheco.

"Elder abuse, whether financial or physical has lasting psychological affects on the victim - the least California can do is to ease a difficult experience," Battin stated.

The first new piece of legislation would allow elderly or dependent adults to be given the opportunity to have a support person with them during witness testimony for elder abuse crimes. Currently, minors are allowed to have a support person with them during difficult testimony. SB 1343 would extend this protection so that older and dependent adults who have been violated at least have the support of someone they can trust during what can be a very intense experience.

Second, legislation introduced by Battin, and sponsored by Pacheco, would increase sentencing enhancements for kidnappers. SB 1344 would add one year in prison for every day a kidnapped victim was held against their will.

"This sentencing enhancement proposal stems from the 2007 Devlin abduction, sexual abuse, and kidnapping case in Missouri. No amount of time served will restore what these kidnapping cases do to the victims, but it might make a potential kidnapper think twice before committing this crime and provide a tough incentive to release a child victim as soon as possible," said Pacheco.

"I have one year left in the legislature and it is important to me that before I leave California leads the nation in tough zero tolerance laws dealing with the safety of our children," said Battin.

In 2005, the California State Department of Justice reported 1758 felony violent kidnapping offenses.

"I'm not sure if justice can be truly served for certain crimes, like child kidnapping, but taking one year away from a kidnapper for every day they robbed a child of their freedom and security is a start," Battin said.