Highland County joins in "Reshaping the Future, Honoring the Past" for Victims of Crime 2011 National Crime Victims' Rights Week
Lead Summary
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April 10 marks the beginning of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, a time to honor victims and the advocates of victims’ rights. This year’s theme, “Reshaping the Future, Honoring the Past,” evokes victims’ past struggles and our nation’s duty to help them rebuild stronger lives.
According to a news release from Barbara Shoemaker, director of the Highland County Victim Witness Program, for victims, reshaping the future means confronting challenges.
"After a crime, victims need to know what rights and resources they can count on," Shoemaker said. "They may need funds to bury a loved one or medical bills. They may want information on the criminal justice process, their rights to be present or heard in court, and to be notified about court proceedings and offenders whereabouts. Yet many victims do not find the help they need."
For victim advocates, reshaping the future, particularly in these financially stressed times, means finding ways to do more with less. It means locating resources for victims who want them and helping new victims, such as the millions harmed by financial fraud, to restore their credit and financial security. Reshaping the future requires meeting present and emerging challenges.
The Highland County Victim Witness Program will hold its second annual Victims’ Rights Candlelight Vigil on Tuesday, April 12 at 7 p.m. on the lawn of the Highland County Courthouse. Also, they will be meeting with the county commissioners on Wednesday, April 6 at 9 a.m. for a proclamation.
"I would like to let everyone know that everything we do in this office and in this program would not be possible without out the hard work and dedication of my staff and the wonderful group of volunteers who donate their time to support us and our local law enforcement," Shoemaker said. "They don't do this for pay or praise. They do this with caring hearts and love of community and their fellow man. My staff and our volunteers are very special people and we are a blessed community to have them."
Honoring the past also means recalling a time, not too many years ago, when victims had no voice in the criminal justice system – when murder victims’ families were excluded from courtrooms and assault victims paid their own medical bills.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week honors the victims and the advocates who confront such injustices and help produce a nationwide system of victim compensation and victims’ rights. It also reminds us that failures to enforce these laws or to fund programs for victims jeopardize the success of these reforms.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week will begin in Washington, D.C., at the Department of Justice’s Annual National Candlelight Observance Ceremony on April 7, 2011 and the Office of Victims of Crime Service Awards Ceremony, April 8, 2011, to honor outstanding individuals and programs that serve victims of crime.
Each community can encourage its members to participate in the event and find ways to help victims of crime. For additional information about National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, and how to help victims in your community, please contact the Highland County Victim Witness Program at 937-393-5872. For more ideas on how to volunteer, visit the Office for Victims of Crime website, at www.ovc.gov.[[In-content Ad]]
According to a news release from Barbara Shoemaker, director of the Highland County Victim Witness Program, for victims, reshaping the future means confronting challenges.
"After a crime, victims need to know what rights and resources they can count on," Shoemaker said. "They may need funds to bury a loved one or medical bills. They may want information on the criminal justice process, their rights to be present or heard in court, and to be notified about court proceedings and offenders whereabouts. Yet many victims do not find the help they need."
For victim advocates, reshaping the future, particularly in these financially stressed times, means finding ways to do more with less. It means locating resources for victims who want them and helping new victims, such as the millions harmed by financial fraud, to restore their credit and financial security. Reshaping the future requires meeting present and emerging challenges.
The Highland County Victim Witness Program will hold its second annual Victims’ Rights Candlelight Vigil on Tuesday, April 12 at 7 p.m. on the lawn of the Highland County Courthouse. Also, they will be meeting with the county commissioners on Wednesday, April 6 at 9 a.m. for a proclamation.
"I would like to let everyone know that everything we do in this office and in this program would not be possible without out the hard work and dedication of my staff and the wonderful group of volunteers who donate their time to support us and our local law enforcement," Shoemaker said. "They don't do this for pay or praise. They do this with caring hearts and love of community and their fellow man. My staff and our volunteers are very special people and we are a blessed community to have them."
Honoring the past also means recalling a time, not too many years ago, when victims had no voice in the criminal justice system – when murder victims’ families were excluded from courtrooms and assault victims paid their own medical bills.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week honors the victims and the advocates who confront such injustices and help produce a nationwide system of victim compensation and victims’ rights. It also reminds us that failures to enforce these laws or to fund programs for victims jeopardize the success of these reforms.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week will begin in Washington, D.C., at the Department of Justice’s Annual National Candlelight Observance Ceremony on April 7, 2011 and the Office of Victims of Crime Service Awards Ceremony, April 8, 2011, to honor outstanding individuals and programs that serve victims of crime.
Each community can encourage its members to participate in the event and find ways to help victims of crime. For additional information about National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, and how to help victims in your community, please contact the Highland County Victim Witness Program at 937-393-5872. For more ideas on how to volunteer, visit the Office for Victims of Crime website, at www.ovc.gov.[[In-content Ad]]