Brasília, 15 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - A witness protection program has become a priority in the state of Espirito Santo, according to president Fernando Henrique Cardoso who says that people who testified against organized crime in that state are federal witnesses and entitled to protection.

In order to speed up violent crime cases and protect them from partiality, many of them are being taken out of state courts and placed in the federal docket.

One of the reasons for these concerns is that violent crime has risen sharply in the state. Violent deaths rose from 70.99 per thousand in 1997, to 90.97 per thousand in 2001. (AB)