REMARKS BY AILEEN ADAMS

DIRECTOR, OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME

TO

THE INDIANA VICTIM ASSISTANCE NETWORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE

MARCH 2, 1995

IT IS INDEED A PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND YOUR AWARDS CEREMONY THIS EVENING. I KNOW THAT AMY HESS-SMITH, CAROLE MORRIS AND ALL OF THE DEDICATED MEMBERS OF THE IVAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO MAKE THIS REGIONAL CONFERENCE SUCH A SUCCESS. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK THEM AND TO SAY HOW VERY PLEASED OVC IS TO HAVE PROVIDED FUNDING FOR THIS FIVE-STATE REGIONAL MEETING. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE PAMELA CARTER, FOR HER VISIONARY WORK AS INDIANA'S ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND FOR HER MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS EVENT.

SINCE THIS EVENING IS A CELEBRATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHOSE COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF COUNTLESS VICTIMS OF CRIME, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE IN ABSENTIA THE MANY CRIME VICTIMS AROUND THE COUNTRY WHO ARE AMONG OUR NATION'S MOST EFFECTIVE VOICES AGAINST CRIME. WE THINK OF CANDY LIGHTNER, WHOSE 13-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER CARI WAS KILLED BY A REPEAT OFFENDER DRUNK DRIVER AND THE OTHER FOUNDERS OF MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING, WHO TAUGHT AMERICA THAT A LOADED DRIVER CAN BE JUST AS DEADLY AS A LOADED GUN. LARGELY THROUGH MADD'S EFFORTS THERE HAS BEEN A 31 PERCENT DECREASE IN ALCOHOL RELATED FATALITIES IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.

WE THINK OF JOHN WALSH, WHO EFFECTIVELY LOBBIED CONGRESS TO ESTABLISH THE CENTER FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN AFTER HIS SIX-YEAR-OLD SON ADAM WAS KIDNAPPED FROM A LOCAL STORE AND BRUTALLY KILLED. WE THINK OF CONNIE AND HOWARD CLERY, WHOSE DAUGHTER WAS MURDERED IN HER DORM ROOM AT LEHEIGH UNIVERSITY IN PENNSYLVANIA. THEIR ACTIVISM LED TO THE ENACTMENT OF THE FEDERAL CAMPUS SECURITY ACT THAT REQUIRES COLLEGES TO PUBLISH THEIR CRIME STATISTICS.

THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER HEROS IN OUR MOVEMENT. FOR OVC AND FOR VICTIM ADVOCATES ACROSS AMERICA, THESE AND COUNTLESS OTHER CRIME VICTIMS ARE OUR TEACHERS AND OUR INSPIRATION. THEY ARE AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO.

I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU THIS EVENING ABOUT MY AGENCY, THE OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME, WHICH WE FONDLY REFER TO AS OVC, AND THE WAYS IN WHICH OUR RESOURCES CAN BENEFIT LOCAL COMMUNITIES. I ALSO WANT TO DISCUSS A FEW OF THE INNOVATIVE PRACTICES THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO BENEFIT VICTIMS AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND PROPOSE SOME NEW DIRECTIONS FOR THE VICTIMS MOVEMENT IN THE FUTURE, WHICH I HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER.

OVC WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE 1984 VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT TO ADMINISTER THE CRIME VICTIMS FUND AND PROVIDE TRAINING ABOUT THE NEEDS AND RIGHTS OF OUR NATION'S CRIME VICTIMS. THE CRIME VICTIMS FUND COMES NOT FROM TAX DOLLARS BUT FROM FINES LEVELED AGAINST FEDERAL CRIMINAL OFFENDERS. MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF THE MONEY, WHICH AMOUNTED TO $185 MILLION IN 1994, IS DISTRIBUTED TO STATES TO HELP FUND THEIR VICTIM ASSISTANCE AND COMPENSATION PROGRAMS. A LARGE PART OF THIS MONEY IS COLLECTED THROUGH THE DILIGENT EFFORTS OF U.S. ATTORNEYS -- SO PLEASE EXPRESS YOUR GRATITUDE TO U.S. ATTORNEY JUDITH STEWART WHO IS HERE THIS EVENING AND WHOSE EFFORTS HAVE BENEFITTED MANY LOCAL PROGRAMS.

VOCA VICTIM ASSISTANCE FUNDS SUPPORT MORE THAN 3,000 LOCAL VICTIM SERVICE AGENCIES, INCLUDING FAMILY VIOLENCE SHELTERS, RAPE CRISIS CENTERS, AND CHILD ADVOCACY PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE CRIME VICTIMS FUND GENERALLY PAYS FOR 40 PERCENT OF ALL STATE COMPENSATION COSTS.

I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THIS YEAR THE STATE OF INDIANA WILL RECEIVE CLOSE TO $1,700,000 IN VICTIM ASSISTANCE GRANT FUNDS, AND $416,000 IN VICTIM COMPENSATION FUNDS, WHICH WILL BE AWARDED TO THE INDIANA CRIMINAL JUSTICE INSTITUTE.

OVC SPENDS A SMALL PORTION OF THE CRIME VICTIMS FUND, APPROXIMATELY THREE PERCENT, ON TRAINING AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS.

OUR TRAINING COURSES REACH THE DIVERSE PROFESSIONALS WHO DEAL WITH CRIME VICTIMS, INCLUDING SOME 70 DIFFERENT FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.

PART OF OVC'S MISSION INCLUDES DIRECT SERVICES TO PEOPLE VICTIMIZED ON TRIBAL OR FEDERAL LANDS. OVC SPONSORS DIVERSE VICTIMS PROGRAMS IN INDIAN COUNTRY, AND WORKS WITH MANY OF THE 538 FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES, PROVIDING TRAINING ABOUT THE TEAM APPROACH TO HANDLING SEXUAL ABUSE CASES, AND COMPREHENSIVE VICTIMS SERVICES.

OVC HAS AT LEAST FOUR RESOURCES THAT WE HOPE YOU WILL USE TO BENEFIT CRIME VICTIMS. FIRST, WE HAVE A TRAINERS BUREAU THAT IS AVAILABLE TO YOU. IF YOU ARE HOLDING A CONFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY OR NEED SPECIAL TRAINING BY AN EXPERT IN ANY FIELD, YOU CAN APPLY TO OUR TRAINERS BUREAU TO PAY FOR CONSULTANT FEES AND TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR A NATIONAL EXPERT. THE PURPOSE OF THE TRAINERS BUREAU IS TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE FIELD FOR TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NEEDS. I URGE YOU TO USE THIS IMPORTANT RESOURCE.

OVC ALSO FUNDS CRISIS RESPONSE SERVICES FOR COMMUNITIES TRAUMATIZED BY MULTIPLE CRIMES. FOR EXAMPLE, WE FUNDED THE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM ORGANIZED BY NOVA THAT RESPONDED TO A CHICAGO HOUSING AUTHORITY DEVELOPMENT AFTER A GANG WAR KILLED 13 PEOPLE IN ONE WEEKEND. SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, WE FUNDED ANOTHER TEAM WHICH WAS ORGANIZED BY MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING AND WAS COMPRISED OF NATIVE AMERICAN EXPERTS TO RESPOND TO AN EIGHT-FATALITY DRUNK DRIVING CRASH ON NAVAJO LANDS.

THIS OVC PROGRAM IS CALLED IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO EMERGING PROBLEMS, IREP. IT COULD BE USED TO ASSIST COMMUNITIES IN THEIR RESPONSE TO MASSIVE CHILD ABUSE CASES, MASS MURDERS, AND OTHER CATASTROPHIC CRIMES. I HOPE YOU NEVER HAVE TO USE IT, BUT IT IS AVAILABLE IF YOUR COMMUNITY NEEDS IT.

OVC ALSO MAINTAINS A RESOURCE CENTER, WHICH RESPONDS TO THOUSANDS OF CALLERS, VIA AN 800-NUMBER, AND PROVIDES EXTENSIVE INFORMATION ABOUT A RANGE OF VICTIMS ISSUES. IF YOU NEED INFORMATION REGARDING INNOVATIVE PRACTICES, STATISTICS, OR LAWS, THIS RESOURCE IS ALSO AVAILABLE TO YOU. THE NUMBER IS 1-800-627-6872.

LAST WEEK, AN OVC FUNDED RESOURCE GUIDE WRITTEN BY THE VICTIMS ASSISTANCE LEGAL ORGANIZATION WAS SENT TO COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY TO HELP THEM COMMEMORATE NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK, WHICH WILL BE HELD DURING THE LAST WEEK OF APRIL. THE GUIDE CONTAINS MANY MATERIALS AND SUGGESTIONS, INCLUDING FACT SHEETS, PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS, SAMPLE SPEECHES, SERMONS, AND CAMERA-READY POSTER ART. IT IS A VALUABLE TOOL IN HELPING TO HONOR AND PUBLICIZE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE VICTIMS MOVEMENT AND TO ENCOURAGE WORK FOR NEEDED CHANGES. IF YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED ONE IN THE MAIL, IT IS AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR OFFICE.

ONE OF OVC'S MOST EXCITING CURRENT PROJECTS IS OUR NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS AGENDA, WHICH WE HOPE WILL SERVE AS A GUIDE ON VICTIMS ISSUES INTO THE NEXT CENTURY. AS PART OF OUR PROJECT, WE INTEND TO UPDATE THE 1982 FINAL REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT'S TASK FORCE ON VICTIMS OF CRIME. WE WILL GIVE A STATUS REPORT ON THIS LANDMARK DOCUMENT THAT CONTAINED 68 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FEDERAL AND STATE ACTION, ENCOMPASSING A BROAD RANGE OF PROPOSALS FOR EVERY PROFESSION THAT INTERACTS WITH CRIME VICTIMS. IN FACT, THE '82 TASK FORCE LED TO THE CREATION OF THE CRIME VICTIMS FUND AND THE OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME.

OVC'S NEW REPORT, WHICH WILL ASSESS HOW FAR WE HAVE COME IN THE PAST 13 YEARS, WILL FOCUS ON PROPOSING AN ACTION PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. IT WILL DEAL WITH MANY EMERGING ISSUES, SUCH AS HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO BENEFIT THE VICTIMS FIELD AND HOW TO REFORM THE JUVENILE COURT SYSTEMS IN WHICH CRIME VICTIMS CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE RIGHTS. WE ALSO INTEND TO FOCUS ON "PROMISING PRACTICES" IN EACH FIELD AND ENCOURAGE REPLICATION OF EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS. WE HAVE ABOUT 25 CONSULTANTS AND DOZENS OF REVIEWERS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY WHO ARE EXPERTS IN DIFFERENT VICTIM RELATED AREAS AND WHO WILL HELP US ISSUE THIS NEW AGENDA.

LET ME MENTION A FEW OF THE KINDS OF INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS INITIATED IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY BY LOCAL COMMUNITIES THAT MAY BE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE REPORT.

IN THE AREA OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE, CERTAINLY THE REPORT WILL CONTAIN A DESCRIPTION OF THE SUCCESSFUL TEAM APPROACH TO HANDLING THESE CASES. THIS APPROACH WAS FIRST INITIATED IN 1985 BY BUD CRAMER, WHO WAS THEN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY OF HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA. HE DECIDED THAT CHILDREN HAD TO BE TREATED IN A DIFFERENT WAY BY OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IF THEY COULD EVER BE EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE EFFECTIVELY IN THAT SYSTEM. HE WAS TIRED OF SEEING CHILDREN RE-VICTIMIZED, OF BEING INTERVIEWED AS MANY AS TWELVE DIFFERENT TIMES BY NUMEROUS AGENCY OFFICIALS IN FRIGHTENING SETTINGS SUCH AS POLICE STATIONS. HE DEVELOPED AN ADVOCACY CENTER ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR KIDS, WHERE GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES WORKED TOGETHER TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS AND COORDINATE CASES. HIS VISION LED TO A NATIONAL MOVEMENT, AND TODAY THERE ARE MORE THAN 200 CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTERS IN SOME STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT IN 43 STATES IN THE U.S., THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND CANADA. IN FACT, I FLEW HERE TODAY AFTER HAVING ADDRESSED THE 1200 PEOPLE AT THE 11TH ANNUAL CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE CONFERENCE IN HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA. THEIR INTERAGENCY MODEL SHOULD EXIST IN EVERY COMMUNITY.

IN ANOTHER AREA, THERE HAVE BEEN INNOVATIVE EFFORTS TO ADDRESS CRIMES AGAINST OLDER AMERICANS THROUGH LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND SENIOR CITIZENS ORGANIZATIONS. THIS CONCEPT WAS FIRST INITIATED BY SHERIFF CHARLES FUSELIER IN ST. MARTIN PARISH, LOUISIANA. IT WAS LATER DUPLICATED IN BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, WHEN THE SHERIFF THERE MET WITH SENIOR CITIZEN GROUPS AND DECIDED TO PAY FOR A BUS THAT WOULD TAKE SENIORS LIVING IN ONE HOUSING PROJECT TO THE MARKET EACH WEEK. MANY WERE AFRAID TO BUY FOOD ALONE. IN RETURN, SOME OF THE SENIOR WOMEN CROCHETED ADORABLE OUTFITS FOR TEDDY BEARS, WHICH THE SHERIFFS THEN USED TO GIVE TO CHILDREN WHO HAD BEEN SEXUALLY ABUSED. LIKE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTERS, THIS PROGRAM TO BENEFIT SENIORS, CALLED TRIAD, HAS SPREAD TO 133 COMMUNITIES IN 39 STATES. IT'S ANOTHER MODEL THAT DESERVES REPLICATION AROUND THE COUNTRY.

SOME COMMUNITIES HAVE CREATED NEW WAYS OF HANDLING THE MEDICAL ASPECTS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES. INSTEAD OF HAVING DOCTORS WHO GENERALLY RESIST GOING TO COURT HANDLE THESE CASES IN BUSY EMERGENCY ROOMS, THESE COMMUNITIES CREATE A SPECIAL ENVIRONMENT FOR VICTIMS AND USE TRAINED NURSE PRACTITIONERS TO CONDUCT THE EVIDENTIARY MEDICAL EXAM. ONE SUCH PROGRAM, WHICH WAS INITIATED IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA BY ITS POLICE DEPARTMENT, WAS RECENTLY RECOGNIZED BY THE FORD FOUNDATION AS AN IMPORTANT INNOVATION. AFTER MORE THAN 500 EXAMS CONDUCTED BY NURSE PRACTITIONERS IN A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT, TULSA POLICE OFFICIALS NOTED SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF FORENSIC EVIDENCE, AND A HIGHER RATE OF CONVICTION DUE TO THE HIGHER WILLINGNESS OF VICTIMS TO SUBMIT TO EXAMS. THEY ALSO REPORTED THAT ALL OF THE CASES PROSECUTED WITH NURSES PROVIDING TESTIMONY RESULTED IN CONVICTIONS. COMMUNITIES SHOULD SUPPORT THE CREATION OF SPECIAL MEDICAL ROOMS FOR CRIME VICTIMS AND EXPLORE THE USE OF HIGHLY TRAINED NURSE PRACTITIONERS TO PROVIDE EVIDENTIARY EXAMS.

ANOTHER INNOVATIVE PROGRAM WAS INITIATED IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, WHERE THE NATION'S FIRST COMPREHENSIVE VICTIM SERVICES CENTER WAS STARTED IN 1991. IT PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF SERVICES, SUCH AS CHANGING THE LOCKS ON THE HOMES OF POOR WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN BURGLARIZED; ACCOMPANYING VICTIMS TO COURT, AND PROVIDING MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS AND THERAPY. LOCATING ALL CRIME VICTIMS SERVICES IN ONE FACILITY IS A MODEL WAY TO HELP VICTIMS AND SHOULD BE ADOPTED BY OTHER COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

A NUMBER OF INTERESTING PRACTICES HAVE BEEN INITIATED IN THE FIELD OF CORRECTIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ORGANIZING VICTIM IMPACT PANELS WHERE VICTIMS OR RELATIVES OF VICTIMS KILLED BY DRUNK DRIVERS PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS TO EDUCATE DRUNK DRIVERS AND THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF THIS CRIME. THIS MODEL HAS BEEN UTILIZED AT THE CALIFORNIA YOUTH AUTHORITY (CYA) SINCE 1985 AND WAS FEATURED RECENTLY ON A 60 MINUTES SEGMENT. IT HELPS TO CHANGE THE ATTITUDES OF YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS, AND ASSISTS VICTIMS IN HAVING A VOICE IN THE PROGRAMS AND POLICIES OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT INNOVATION THAT BENEFITS VICTIMS OF CRIME IS THE KIND OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM APPROACH TO HANDLING MASSIVE VICTIMIZATIONS THAT HAS BEEN PIONEERED BY THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. THEY HAVE DEVELOPED A STATEWIDE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM THAT INCLUDES 110 MEMBERS FROM 16 DISCIPLINES, RANGING FROM MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS, TO CRIME VICTIMS ADVOCATES, SOCIAL WORKERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CLERGY. EVERY TEAM MEMBER RECEIVES A MINIMUM OF 24 HOURS OF BASIC RESPONSE TRAINING. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE TEAM IS TO TRAIN LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND INSTITUTIONS HOW TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN LOCAL CRISIS RESPONSE SYSTEM, AS WELL AS TO RESPOND TO CRITICAL INCIDENTS.

IN THE HIGHLY PUBLICIZED SOUTH CAROLINA CASE IN WHICH SUSAN SMITH IS CHARGED WITH DROWNING HER TWO YOUNG SONS, TWO GROUPS OF 25 TEAM MEMBERS EACH HELPED THE COMMUNITY OF UNION DEAL WITH THE AFTERMATH OF THIS TRAGIC EVENT. THEY PROVIDED DEBRIEFINGS FOR MANY GROUPS, INCLUDING THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS WHO WORKED ON THE CASE, AND SCHOOL CHILDREN WHO WERE ALSO GREATLY IMPACTED BY THE DEATHS OF THE TWO YOUNG BOYS. THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM IS ANOTHER KIND OF IMPORTANT INNOVATION WHICH DESERVES REPLICATION.

BUILDING UPON THESE KINDS OF INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS INITIATED BY LOCAL COMMUNITIES, I HOPE THAT THE NATIONAL VICTIMS AGENDA SPONSORED BY THE OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME, WILL PROPOSE MANY CONCRETE RECOMMENDATIONS OF HOW ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITIES CAN PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES AND STRENGTHEN THE RIGHTS OF CRIME VICTIMS.

LET ME QUICKLY MENTION A FEW PROPOSALS WHICH MAY BE INCORPORATED INTO OUR AGENDA.

1. MOST STATE VICTIMS BILLS OF RIGHTS, AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL BILL, ONLY APPLY TO CERTAIN CRIME VICTIMS. IN MOST STATES, RIGHTS ARE EXTENDED ONLY TO VICTIMS OF FELONIES. IF YOU ARE THE VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR DRUNK DRIVING, YOUR CASE IS LIKELY TO BE PROSECUTED AS A MISDEMEANOR. IN WHICH CASE, YOUR STATE VICTIMS BILL OF RIGHTS DOES NOT APPLY. YOU DON'T, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE THE RIGHT TO GIVE A VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT AT SENTENCING. I THINK THAT BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL VICTIMS BILLS OF RIGHTS, SHOULD APPLY TO EVERY CRIME VICTIM, NOT JUST VICTIMS OF FELONIES.

2. MOST JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEMS ARE CLOAKED IN SECRECY. VICTIMS HAVE NO RIGHTS WITHIN MOST OF THOSE SYSTEMS, WHICH WERE DESIGNED YEARS AGO TO PROTECT THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS. TODAY, YOUTH VIOLENCE IS THE FASTEST GROWING SEGMENT OF CRIME. IT IS CHARACTERIZED, AT TIMES, BY UNTHINKABLE BRUTALITY AND INHUMANITY. IT IS TIME TO CONSIDER ESTABLISHING RIGHTS FOR VICTIMS OF JUVENILE VIOLENCE SIMILAR TO RIGHTS THAT APPLY IN ADULT COURTS. A FEW STATES HAVE RECENTLY DONE THIS.

3. MANY PROFESSIONALS WHO DEAL WITH CRIME VICTIMS ARE NEVER TAUGHT IN SCHOOL ABOUT THE IMPACT OF VICTIMIZATION OR BEST PRACTICES IN THE FIELD. THE EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM IN COLLEGES AND IN GRADUATE SCHOOLS FOR DOCTORS, NURSES, SOCIAL WORKERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, THE CLERGY, AND OTHERS, SHOULD INCLUDE TRAINING ON CRIME VICTIMS ISSUES. SOME OF THESE COURSES SHOULD BE INTERDISCIPLINARY AND INFORM STUDENTS ABOUT EFFECTIVE TEAM APPROACHES TO HANDLING CRIME.

4. THERE SHOULD BE COURSES ABOUT CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGIES AND VICTIMIZATION IN EVERY GRADE, BEGINNING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SO THAT OUR CHILDREN LEARN HOW TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, AND BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IF THEY DO BECOME VICTIMS.

5. AS DESCRIBED IN THE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS THAT I CITED, VICTIM IMPACT CLASSES SHOULD BE UTILIZED AS AN IMPORTANT EDUCATIONAL METHOD TO TRAIN PROFESSIONALS, SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN, AND OFFENDERS. MEDICAL EXAMS FOR VICTIMS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN SUPPORTIVE SETTINGS, NOT IN HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMS, AND NURSE PRACTITIONERS SHOULD BE USED MORE WIDELY TO CONDUCT THESE EXAMS. EVERY COMMUNITY AND EVERY INSTITUTION SHOULD HAVE A CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM PREPARED TO RESPOND TO MASSIVE VICTIMIZATIONS.

THESE ARE BUT A FEW OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I HOPE COMMUNITIES WILL CONSIDER IMPLEMENTING TO ENHANCE VICTIMS RIGHTS AND SERVICES AS WE MOVE INTO THE NEXT CENTURY.

I'D LIKE TO CLOSE WITH THIS STORY THAT THE GREAT CIVIL RIGHTS WORKER FANNY LOU HAMER USED TO TELL ABOUT THE WISE OLD WOMAN AND THE TWO LITTLE BOYS WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE VERY CLEVER. THEY DECIDED TO FOOL THE OLD WOMAN BY CATCHING A SMALL BIRD AND CUPPING IT IN ONE BOY'S HAND. THEY WOULD THEN BRING IT TO THE OLD WOMAN AND SAY, "OLD WOMAN, WE HAVE A BIRD IN OUR HANDS. IS IT ALIVE OR DEAD?" THEIR PLAN WAS THAT IF SHE SAID THE BIRD WAS DEAD, THEY WOULD RELEASE IT AND LET IT FLY AWAY. IF SHE SAID IT WAS ALIVE, THEY WOULD CRUSH IT AND SHOW HER THE DEAD BIRD. BUT WHEN THE BOYS BROUGHT THE BIRD TO THE OLD WOMAN AND ASKED HER THEIR QUESTION, SHE ANSWERED, "IT'S IN YOUR HANDS."

THE FUTURE OF HOW WE AS A SOCIETY HANDLE CRIME VICTIMS ISSUES IS INDEED IN YOUR HANDS. WE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL WILL TRY TO SUPPORT YOU IN EVERY WAY THAT WE CAN, BUT WE KNOW THAT THE LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE, THE INNOVATIONS, AND THE PROVISION OF SERVICES COMES PRIMARILY FROM YOU. AND, KNOWING OF YOUR LOCAL COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION, I AM OPTIMISTIC THAT THE SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THIS REGION WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN ENHANCING SERVICES, STRENGTHENING LAWS, AND DESIGNING PREVENTION PROGRAMS THAT DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH THE HORRIBLE VICTIMIZATION THAT CURRENTLY AFFLICTS SO MANY OF OUR NATION'S RESIDENTS.