Witness Protection Program

[januz101]

How do a prospective witness get into witness protection program? Large organized crime are often taken down by whistle blowers. But how safe are they if they decide to testify against their former boss? These syndicates are no pushover and will stop at nothing to kill someone if their organization gets threaten. So how safe are these witnesses under the program and will the state give them new identities like the one seen on tv?

 

[DancingLady]

I think they do a pretty good job of keeping them safe, but someone who goes into witness protection may lose all contact with every single member of their family, all their friends, basically have to start their entire life over. I don't know if it would be worth it for me.

 

[Teens In Crisis]

A few states, including California, Illinois, New York, and Texas, have their own witness protection programs for crimes not covered by the federal program.

 

[Profit5500]

I remember watching a movie I think it was called "The Family" and it had Robert Deniro in it. It was a fun movie to watch since it does show you what happens when you have to live your life while on witness protection. You got to put up with name changing constantly so you cannot stick to making a lot of friends. Then again witness protection just varies where you go on how reliable it is.

 

[askanison]

Most times they are completely safe after the enter into the program. Cutting ties with everyone you ever had any contact with can be hard though. I have read stories about people who have entered the program being stupid and getting in touch with people from their previous life and being tracked down. The hardest part would be knowing you could never go back home ever again for fear of being recognized.

 

[bala]

It been there for long and it has been a major concern actually.The witness to an incidents falls prey to one of the accused antics of stopping him from presenting before a court/station.
I would say the anonymity be kept under wraps and the statement be officially recorded.

 

[Rhoda D'Ettore]

I know a family who was in the program for two decades, when the threat passed away, the family was permitted to move back to their home town. Some chose to keep the new names, and some did not. The really weird thing involved their social security and driver's licenses. Because they legally had licenses in the state under one name previously, it was some kind of law violation if they were issued licenses in the new names.

As far as protection, well, they all survived. They were treated quite well.

 

[januz101]

And just a follow up, let us say that I will undergo into witness protection programe, me and my whole family for that matter as I am about to testify against a drug syndicate. My question is will the state provide me and my family our basic needs? Like food and clothing? How about the education of my children? Will they cater that too?