Presentence investigation bill headed for Assembly vote

Listen to this article

A bill that would allow crime victims to view portions of defendant’s presentence investigation reports was passed by the Assembly’s judiciary committee Tuesday morning.

AB612 would afford victims the same right that a defendant currently has: to review any information concerning themselves that the reports contain. It also states that the victim, after viewing the bill, may not keep the report and must keep the information confidential.

Rep. Pat Strachota, R-West Bend, has said she introduced the bill because victims should be able to verify that facts pertaining to them are accurately portrayed.

The committee passed the bill 6-3, with Assemblymen Evan Goyke, Dana Wachs and Gary Hebl voting against. Goyke, D-Milwaukee, said the bill doesn’t lay out a punishment if a victim talks about what he or she saw in the report.

The bill now will be sent to the full Assembly. State Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, is sponsoring the bill in the Senate. It was referred to the Senate’s Committee on Judiciary and Labor, which Grothman chairs.

 Loading ...