Program Mission

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Program Mission

• Provide protection to crime victims and
  witnesses.
• Engage in proactive investigations of witness
  tampering crimes.
• Deter future witness tampering crimes.

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Personnel

• Current Staffing
• Four Full-time Investigators
• Two part-time analysts funded through a grant
  from OJA/Milwaukee County
• Two student interns
• One Paralegal

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Protection Methods and Resources Available

• We REJECT the Traditional Model of Temporary
  Housing, Relocation and Re-Identification
• Expensive
• OJA Grant Funding
• Milwaukee County Funding
• Future State Funding????
• Displaces Innocent Victims and Witnesses
• Significant Dropout Rate
• MCDA engages in very limited use of traditional
  methods of witness protection

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The MCDA Protection Model

• Presence
• Availability
• Maximize Victim and Witness Choice Throughout the
  Process
• Require citizens to make choices they can sustain
• Empower citizens to play role in shaping their
  future
• Reduce needless expenditures
• Aggressive Enforcement of Known Criminal Activity
• TARGETED DETTERENCE

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Program Participants

• Any crime victim of a charged or uncharged case
  is eligible for services
• Eligibility continues after a case is disposed
  of, however the level of service may reduce
  depending on need
• Citizen witnesses of a charged case are eligible
• Drug Informants are not eligible
• Cooperating Codefendants are not eligible
• Compelling Circumstances

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Case Classifications

• The unit uses a flexible case classification
  system consisting of four groups
• The services provided to any individual are
  flexible and designed to meet the needs of the
  witness while addressing any safety risk
• Case agent has great flexibility to meet the
  needs of witnesses

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Case Classifications

• Class 1 HIGHEST THREAT
• Class 1 status is assigned to witnesses known to
  be specifically targeted for physical harm or
  intimidation by a non-custodial defendant or any
  associate of any defendant acting in concert to
  intimidate or harm the witness. This
  classification is limited to those instances
  where there has been an actual act in furtherance
  of an effort to intimidate or injure the witness.
  There is an imminent threat to the safety of the
  witness requiring immediate intervention.

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Case Classifications

• Class 2 Moderate Threat
• Class 2 is assigned to witnesses who are known to
  be specifically targeted and threatened by a
  custodial defendant who is unable to act in
  furtherance of the threats based upon his or her
  being in custody. This classification extends to
  those associates of a defendant who act to deter
  a witness from appearing but who are not believed
  to be capable of violence or those who fail to
  present an imminent danger.

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Case Classifications

• Class 3 Potential for Threat
• Class 3 status is assigned to witnesses on cases
  where there have been no threats, but who are
  believed to be potential victims based upon the
  nature of the underlying charge. Domestic
  violence cases where the parties voluntarily
  cohabitate in violation of the No-Contact Order
  will generally be assigned this class. Witnesses
  to crimes of violence without any additional act
  will be given Class 3 status.

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Case Classifications

• Class 4 Generalized Fear or No Threat
• Class 4 status is assigned to witnesses who
  express a general, unfounded, fear of testifying
  and where the nature of the underlying case makes
  threats and/or violence unlikely.

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Proactive Investigations

• Program initiated efforts to identify cases where
  witness tampering is likely
• Monitor Jail Calls
• Home Visits
• Spot Checks
• Criminal Investigations of Witness Tampering
  Crimes

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FUTURE WITSEC IMPROVEMENTS

• Establish liaison relationships with local law
  enforcement agencies
• Seek a permanent funding source of discretionary
  funds

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WITSEC CONTACTS

• EMAIL
• WITSECREQUEST_at_DA.WI.GOV
• If a true emergency involving a witness or
  victim, call 911.
• Inv. Aaron Weiss, 414-278-5074 or 414-491-3563.