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Simple English definitions for legal terms
witness-protection program
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A quick definition of witness-protection program:
Witness-Protection Program: A program run by the government that helps people who have testified against criminals to stay safe. If someone is in danger because they helped the police catch a criminal, they can join this program. They will get a new name and move to a new place where no one knows them. This way, the criminal they helped catch won't be able to find them and hurt them. The program was started in 1970 and is run by the U.S. Justice Department.
A more thorough explanation:
A witness-protection program is a program run by the federal or state government that provides protection to individuals who testify against criminals. The program assigns a new identity to the witness and relocates them to a different part of the country to avoid any retaliation from the convicted criminals.
The Federal Witness Protection Program was established in 1970 by the Organized Crime Control Act and is managed by the marshals of the U.S. Justice Department.
For example, if a witness testifies against a member of a criminal organization, they may be at risk of retaliation from other members of the organization. In this case, the witness may be placed in the witness-protection program, given a new identity, and relocated to a different part of the country to ensure their safety.
Another example could be a witness testifying against a dangerous individual who has a history of violence. The witness may be placed in the witness-protection program to avoid any potential harm or danger.
These examples illustrate how the witness-protection program provides protection to individuals who may be at risk of retaliation or harm for testifying against criminals.