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“IN TRIBUTE--NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEK” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E611 on April 24, 1996.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN TRIBUTE--NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEK
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HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN
of florida
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 23, 1996
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with countless Americans who are staunch supporters of the rights of victims of crime. This is National Crime Victims' Rights Week. Almost any daily newspaper you read will have front page headlines that scream out accounts of violent acts perpetrated against a host of victims. Readers are bombarded by statistics on murders, armed robberies, rapes, gang violence, domestic violence, drugs and much, much more. Where are the stories about the victims of those crimes? When is the last time that you read an account of the impact of a victim's statement on the outcome of a legal proceeding? All too often, victims are the last thought of while the criminal is protected by a long list of rights.
Those who work on behalf of victims of crime rarely receive the recognition that they deserve. Advocates come from all walks of life. Some are professionals, people who try to make a difference. Most, however, are volunteers who give selflessly of their time, energy and talents.
They are tireless; they are insistent; they are creative.
Along with my husband, Dexter Lehtinen, I worked on placing the protection of victims' rights in Florida's Constitution and then pressured the agencies to implement the provisions.
National Crime Victims' Rights Week is a time of reflection and a call to action. As an example of what a concerned community can achieve, I would like to share with you just a few of the accomplishments of victims' rights advocates from the Miami area. In selecting just a few examples, I salute the work of these individuals. But more importantly, by extension, I would like to pay tribute to all to have taken up this cause.
Victims themselves are often the best advocates. They have turned their misfortune, their grieving toward some wonderfully positive activities. John Walsh, father of six-year-old Adam, was instrumental in the founding of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. He will never have Adam back, but Adam's spirit is alive through the Center.
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Ryce, grieving over the loss of their son, Jimmy, have stepped forward to share their message with anyone who will listen. They are working to establish a special training center at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which will be dedicated to educating law enforcement officers in how to investigate these sensitive cases, as well as bettering coordination among all our law enforcement agencies.
Mr. and Mrs. Luis Melendi lost their daughter, Shannon, over 2 years ago. Shannon disappeared from a softball field near the campus of Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and has not been heard from since. The Melendi's have taken their case to the public, pushing for stronger measures to prevent known criminals from victimizing others.
Potential victims can help themselves before they become victims. Taking a proactive approach, the Miami Junior League, in conjunction with AT&T, is collecting used cellular telephones in order to give them to women at risk of domestic violence. The phones will be preprogrammed with access to 911, so that help can be summoned immediately in case of attack.
These examples highlight just a few of the many, diverse ways in which victims can assert their rights. I would especially like to highlight the work of Howard Greenstein, the Director of the Dade County Department of Justice System Support, who has been a staunch defender of victims' rights for years. May these individuals and their organizations have great success; may their creativity be encouraged and supported. May we remember the victims.
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