Lassen Family Services, the local agency tasked with providing assistance to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child and elder abuse, has received funding from several national organizations dedicated to increasing awareness of crime victims’ rights and services during 2014 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
Funds for the program are being made available by the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators through a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, within the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.
This year the week of April 6th – 12th, is National Crime Victim’s Rights Week. The annual observance, first designated by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, 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 2014 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is 30 Years: Restoring the Balance of Justice. The theme commemorates the 30th anniversary of the enactment of the U.S. Victims of Crime Act.
Since 2004, the yearly victim’s rights awareness program has provided financial and technical assistance to more than 650 community projects that promote victim and public awareness activities, and innovative approaches to victim outreach and public education about victims’ rights. More than 125 applications that were submitted nationwide and Lassen Family Services was one of the 71 projects recommended by the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators and selected for funding by OVC for 2014.
According to OVC Director Joye Frost, the Community Awareness Project helps generate widespread public awareness of crime victims’ rights and needs, and the importance of engaging all people in America in victim assistance efforts.
According to Ms. Frost, “This year’s theme is especially relevant because VOCA is the federal government’s main method of supporting critical assistance to victims of all types of crimes. The money for this support comes from fines collected from offenders convicted of federal crimes and not from U.S. taxpayers. National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is our opportunity to support public awareness of crime victims’ rights and the critical, often life-saving services provided by thousands of programs across our Nation to help crime victims,” Frost said.
Melissa Downing, Executive Director of Lassen Family Services, said the Community Awareness Project that will be sponsored in Lassen County is ‘Walk a Mile in Their Shoes.’ Several local law enforcement and community agencies that provide assistance to victims of crime have committed to supporting the project by participating in the walk, chili cook-off and information fair.
“The support from NAVAA and OVC for our 2014 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities will help us help crime victims,” Melissa Downing said. “Members of our community are encouraged to help promote justice through service to crime victims by joining our 2014 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities and supporting victim assistance programs throughout the year.”
For additional information about 2014 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities or about victims’ rights and services in Lassen County, please contact Michelle Latimer, Deputy Program Director at 530-257-4599, or visit Lassen Family Service’s website at www.lassenfamilyservices.org.
For information about national efforts to promote 2014 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, please visit the Office for Victims of Crime website at http://www.ovc.gov.
