By Patrick McGroarty
Reporter Staff

Governor Mitt Romney is scheduled to appear at St. Peter's this morning to sign a long-awaited bill designed to bolster the state's witness protection program and curb violent crime.

The legislation will pump $500,000 into a new witness protection program in the current fiscal year and promises another $1 million during fiscal 2007.

The bill also widens the definition of perjury and witness intimidation in cases involving violent crimes, and increases legal penalties for those who intimidate witnesses or are found to have distributed grand jury minutes if the intent was to interfere with court proceedings.

"The governor is definitely pleased with it," said Romney spokesperson Corbie Kiernan. "A couple of components were added after the governor introduced the bill in February of 2005, but the establishment of the first witness protection program in the state is critical."

Kiernan added that Romney chose to sign the bill at St. Peters because the parish administers several highly successful gang prevention programs.

Dorchester anti-crime activists had been watching the bill for more than a year, and reaction across the neighborhood to the legislation's final contents was favorable.

"It's a real positive bill," said Lew Finfer of the Massachusetts Community Action Network. "The tougher standards will put more pressure on criminals in the legal process, and might bring people some hope. I don't know if you could say there will be an immediate effect, but over the course of a year or two, it should enable prosecutors to bring more cases to trial."

Emmet Folgert, director of the Dorchester Youth Collaborative, was also pleased with the new legislation, and pointed to a recent Massachusetts Supreme Court decision requiring defense attorneys to share key evidence with prosecutors as another crucial component to combating violent crime.

"The prosecution has always had to let the defense know what kind of evidence they're going to show, the theory being that the state has more resources," said Folgert. "The Supreme court struck that down. I think that's big. That means no surprises."

The recent court ruling in combination with the anti-crime measure, said Folgert, will give law enforcement officers and prosecutors new tools to fight gang violence.

But while tougher legal standards and witness protection are important, Finfer emphasized that prevention is still the key to stemming violent crime.

"There's a need for more preventative money," said Finfer. "Boston has many fewer street workers than it used to have, which plays a key role in reaching out to youth being recruited or intimidated by gangs."