I recently joined an important effort called Marsy’s Law for Maine — a victims’ bill of rights that seeks to grant crime victims rights and protections that are equal to those of the accused or convicted.

Equal rights for crime victims deserve to be priority. As law enforcement officers, my colleagues and I regularly see firsthand the impact of crime on innocent people. We are often the first people on the scene of a crime, and the first contact with victims. For many victims, that is the most difficult time in their lives, especially for victims of violent crimes such as sexual assault, domestic violence and murder. Regrettably, that is just the beginning of victimhood for many — and the associated sense of injustice.

Too often, crime victims are treated peripherally by the criminal justice system. They feel like mere bystanders — even outsiders — in their own cases. That may cause re-victimization and continued symptoms of trauma. With some cases taking years to resolve, and with legal challenges arising time and again for decades, trauma symptoms can re-occur at every step.

As the people most impacted by a crime, victims deserve to be heard. They deserve a voice in their case and recognition at the highest levels of the criminal justice system. That is why I stand behind the equal rights Marsy’s Law for Maine will, at long last, afford crime victims in this state, and am committed to working to make sure Marsy’s Law for Maine is on the ballot next year.

Scott Nichols, Farmington, Franklin County Sheriff

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