Hudson victim witness program marks Crime Victims’ Rights Week April 22-28

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The Wisconsin Victim Witness Professionals Association has received funding from the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators (NAVAA) through a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) in the U.S. Department of Justice, to promote community awareness of crime victims’ rights and services during 2012 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

The week of April 22-28 is National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW). This annual observance seeks to increase general public awareness of and knowledge about the wide range of rights and services available to people who have been victimized by crime. The theme for 2012 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is “Extending the Vision: Reaching Every Victim.”

NCVRW Community Awareness Project funding supports community collaboration on victim and public awareness activities, and innovative approaches to victim outreach and public education about victims’ rights and services during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and throughout the year.

According to Pam Bellrichard, St. Croix County Victim Witness Coordinator, the Community Awareness Project will be sponsored in Hudson and throughout the state. Wisconsin Victim Witness professionals will provide window clings, ribbon magnets and banners that advertise National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, and the theme of reaching every victim.

“A banner has been provided to every county for display in the courthouse, and hundreds of magnets and clings have been given to our partners in the criminal justice system — law enforcement agencies, domestic violence organizations, the Department of Justice, the Department of Corrections, judges, dispatchers, and crime victims themselves. We want to make sure that every agency and individual within the justice system and the community recognizes and upholds the rights of crime victims.

“The support from NAVAA and OVC for our 2012 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities will help us help crime victims,” Bellrichard said. “We have also included websites on the banners and clings so that victims know where to look for help and information.”

For additional information about 2012 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities or about victims’ rights and services in St. Croix County, please contact the Victim/Witness Assistance Program at (715) 386-4666, or go to www.wvwp.net or www.doj.state.wi.us/cvs. For information about national efforts to promote 2012 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, please visit the Office for Victims of Crime website at www.ovc.gov.

Tags: news, government, crime