The Victim Compensation Fund is authorized to provide the following victim assistance services, contingent upon an appropriation of funds therefor by the General Assembly:

1. (A) Provide information, training, and technical assistance to state and local agencies and groups involved in victim/witness and domestic violence assistance, such as the Attorney General's Office, the solicitors' offices, law enforcement agencies, judges, hospital staff, rape crisis centers, and spouse abuse shelters.
2. (B) Provide recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly on needed legislation and services for victims.
3. (C) Serve as a clearinghouse of victim/witness information.
4. (D) Develop guidelines for the implementation of victim/witness assistance programs.
5. (E) Develop ongoing public awareness and programs to assist victims, such as newsletters, brochures, television and radio spots and programs, and news articles.
6. (F) Provide staff support for a state level advisory group representative of all agencies and groups involved in victim/witness and domestic violence services to improve coordination efforts.

7. (G) Coordinate the development and implementation of policy and guidelines for the treatment of victims/witnesses with appropriate agencies, with initial emphasis in the following three areas:

   1. (1) The State Victim/Witness Program shall work with the solicitors of this State, the Attorney General's Office, and relevant professional organizations to develop guidelines for solicitors to follow in the handling of victims, to include but not be limited to:

      1. (a) Periodically informing victims of the status of a case.
      2. (b) Providing information to the court on the views of victims of violent crime on bail decisions, continuances, plea bargains, dismissals, sentencing, and restitution.
      3. (c) Pursuing charges of defendants who harass, threaten, injure, or otherwise attempt to intimidate or retaliate against victims or witnesses.
      4. (d) Utilizing a victim and witness on-call system.
      5. (e) Developing procedures for the prompt return of victims' property.
      6. (f) Considering the views of victims and witnesses concerning the use of case continuances.
      7. (g) Informing the solicitors' offices about victim assistance units and their effectiveness.
      8. (h) Informing victims of the availability of civil as well as criminal redress.

   2. (2) The State Victim/Witness Program shall assist the Office of Court Administration and South Carolina Sentencing Guidelines Commission in developing guidelines for all judges to follow in the handling of victims, to include but not be limited to:

      1. (a) Scheduling of court proceedings and an on-call notification system.
      2. (b) Separate waiting rooms for prosecution and defense witnesses.
      3. (c) Special weight for victim's interests when considering requests for continuances.
      4. (d) Special weight must be given to the victim's interest in speedy return of property before trial in ruling on the admissibility of photographs of that property.
      5. (e) Child sexual assault/incest victims must be given practical legal support by allowing them videotape, legal transcript, or closed session testimony.
   3. (3) The State Victim/Witness Program shall work with the appropriate law enforcement officers' associations and other relevant organizations to develop guidelines and model policies for law enforcement agencies to utilize in handling and working with victims of crime.