For how long does a witness protection last— for the witness and his or her family?
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For how long does a witness protection last— for the witness and his or her family?
Once a person is accepted into the witness protection program, they are in it for life, with two exceptions. The first exception is that the witness voluntarily withdraws from the program. This is strongly discouraged but ultimately it is the decision of the witness. The second exception is when the witness violates conditions of the program. Being in the program comes with a number of rules that must be strictly followed to ensure full protection of the witness. They agree to remain law abiding and avoid any situation that might lead to a negative contact with law enforcement. They cannot discuss their status with anyone outside of the prosecution team assigned to their case. They cannot associate with known criminals. They may not contact any former associate. They may not contact any family member that is not in the program. And the list goes on. If they violate any of the rules, they are usually given 2nd or even 3rd chance to comply with the rules. After that, their behavior is considered habitual and they may be removed from the program, at which point they are on their own.
Generally speaking, people in witness protection are in it for life. They can leave witness protection at any time if they feel there is no longer a threat, but once they do that, there is no going back. Most people in witness protection are hiding from organized crime, and organized crime is generational. Even if the people the protected witness helped put away have died, their descendants or relatives may still want and have the capability to exact revenge.