IT IS INDEED A PLEASURE AND A PRIVILEGE TO JOIN IN PARTNERSHIP AS WE ADVANCE GLOBAL DISCUSSION, COORDINATION, AND RECIPROCAL TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON VICTIMS ISSUES IN THE INTERNATIONAL SETTING.

I KNOW THAT EDUARDO VETERE AND THE STAFF OF THE UNITED NATIONS CRIME PREVENTION AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVISION OF THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE AT VIENNA HAVE PROVIDED MUCH SUPPORT TO MY STAFF AS WE SET OUT TO PLAN THIS EXPERT MEETING. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK THEM AND TO SAY HOW VERY PLEASED OVC IS TO HAVE PROVIDED FUNDING SUPPORT FOR THIS MEETING.

I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE IRENE MELUP FOR HER SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE PLANNING OF THE MEETING AND MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR HER LONGSTANDING AND STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO VICTIMS OF CRIME THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

AND FINALLY, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE WHOM YOU ALL KNOW, DR. MARLENE YOUNG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NOVA FOR HER VISIONARY WORK AND COUNTLESS ACHIEVEMENTS. HER WORK IS MUCH ADMIRED AND OFTEN APPLAUDED. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW MARLENE HAS RECEIVED DOZENS OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS INCLUDING THE HANS VON HENTIG AWARD OF THE WORLD SOCIETY OF VICTIMOLOGY AND THAT OF THE FOUNDATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF JUSTICE. IN 1992, THEN PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH PAID TRIBUTE TO HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE VICTIMS MOVEMENT IN A WHITE HOUSE COMMEMORATION OF NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK.

HER COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF COUNTLESS VICTIMS OF CRIME

I ALSO WANT TO TALK WITH YOU THIS MORNING ABOUT MY AGENCY, THE OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME, WHICH WE FONDLY REFER TO AS OVC. 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 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 $230 MILLION IN 1995, IS DISTRIBUTED TO STATES TO HELP FUND THEIR VICTIM ASSISTANCE AND COMPENSATION PROGRAMS.

IN RECENT YEARS, ENORMOUS STRIDES HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE VICTIMS' FIELD THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THE OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME AND MANY NATIONAL AND LOCAL VICTIMS ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS, SUCH AS MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CRIME VICTIM COMPENSATION BOARDS, THE NATIONAL COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THE NATIONAL COALITION AGAINST SEXUAL ASSAULT, THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR VICTIM ASSISTANCE, THE NATIONAL VICTIM CENTER, PARENTS OF MURDERED CHILDREN AND OTHER SURVIVORS OF HOMICIDE VICTIMS, THE VICTIMS' ASSISTANCE LEGAL ORGANIZATION, THE VICTIM SERVICE AGENCY, AND MANY OTHERS.

ALTHOUGH WE ARE PROUD OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE KNOW THAT THE VICTIMS MOVEMENT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES

CANNOT, AND SHOULD NOT EXIST IN ISOLATION FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD. WE CAN NOT IGNORE THE GENUINE CONNECTION BETWEEN A FAMILY MEMBER OF A HOMICIDE VICTIM IN RWANDA AND A SURVIVOR IN DETROIT.

VIOLENT CRIME CAN STRIKE ANYONE, ANYWHERE; THE WEALTHY, THE POOR, THE SUCCESSFUL, THE HOMELESS, CRIMES CAN AND DO, OCCUR IN OUR HOMES, IN OUR STREETS, IN THE WORK PLACE, IN OUR SCHOOLS; WE ARE ALL VULNERABLE TO PERSONAL CRIME.

EVERY CITIZEN OF THE WORLD IS VULNERABLE TO VIOLENT CRIME. VICTIMS OF CRIME AND ABUSE OF POWER ARE BY THE FACT OF THEIR VICTIMIZATION PERSONS WHOSE BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED. VICTIMS ARE ENTITLED TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT , AND THIS IS WHAT THE DECLARATION MANDATES: AN UNYIELDING COMMITMENT TO ENSURING JUST AND EQUITABLE TREATMENT FOR ALL VICTIMS THROUGHOUT CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE.

IT IS MOST APPROPRIATE THAT THE UNITED STATES ASSUME A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN SEEKING TO INFORM UNITED NATIONS POLICY DECISIONS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE TREATMENT OF VICTIMS AND TO FOSTER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS DECLARATION OF BASIC PRINCIPALS OF JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME AND ABUSE OF POWER.

TERRORISM

AMERICANS BY THE MILLIONS PUT THEMSELVES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF FOREIGN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND VICTIM JUSTICE SYSTEMS, AS DO MILLIONS OF VISITORS TO THE UNITED STATES. THE ANTITERRORISM AND EFFECTIVE DEATH PENALTY ACT OF 1996 WAS SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT CLINTON ON APRIL 24, HAS FOCUSED NEW ATTENTION ON THE GLOBALIZATION OF CRIME, AND INTERNATIONALIZATION OF VICTIMIZATION.

AMONG OTHER VICTIM RELATED PROVISIONS THE ANTITERRORISM ACT PROVIDES REQUIRES THAT, AS A CONDITION FOR RECEIVING FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS, EACH STATE MUST COVER ITS OWN RESIDENTS WHO ARE INJURED OR KILLED IN TERRORIST ATTACKS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. IT ALSO PROVIDES THAT, IN THE EVENT OF FOREIGN OR DOMESTIC TERRORIST ACTS OR MASS VIOLENCE, A STATE MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A SUPPLEMENTAL GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME (OVC) RESERVE FUND, WHICH WAS SET UP SPECIFICALLY TO HELP STATES PAY FOR COSTS OF RESPONDING TO VICTIMS OF TERRORISM.

FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE WORST ACT OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM IN THE COUNTRY'S HISTORY, THE FUND RECENTLY HELPED TO SEND TO OKLAHOMA CITY SEVERAL CRISIS RESPONSE TEAMS ORGANIZED BY THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR VICTIM ASSISTANCE, WHICH IS REPRESENTED HERE TODAY. THESE TEAMS PROVIDED CRUCIAL TRAININGS AND DEBRIEFINGS OF VICTIMS OF THAT TRAGEDY, AS WELL AS FOR THE SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO WERE ASSISTING THEM.