President George Bush and Attorney General Dick Thornburgh today
honored seven people who have made outstanding contributions in
assisting victims of crime. Before the ceremony, President Bush also
signed a Proclamation commemorating National Crime Victims' Rights
Week (April 22-28, 1990). Those honored at the White House ceremony
were selected by the Office for Victims of Crime, a component of the
Justice Department's Office of Justice Programs, from 200 nominations
submitted by Federal, state, and local criminal justice and victim
assistance officials, national victim assistance organizations, and
individual citizens.
"I commend these outstanding men and women who have dedicated
countless hours of hard work to ensure the fair treatment of crime
victims," Thornburgh said. "They are some of the 'thousand points of
light' President Bush keeps talking about--those who work day after
day on behalf of others. These outstanding American citizens and
others like them around the country give of themselves selflessly to
safeguard the rights and well-being of the innocent victims of crime."
Those honored were:
-- Howard and Constance Clery, of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. The
Clerys dedicated their lives to preventing future campus victimizations
since the murder of their daughter, Jeanne, in her dormitory
room by a fellow student at Lehigh University in April 1986. They
rounded the nonprofit organization, Security on Campus, Inc., and
spearheaded a national campaign to obtain passage of legislation
mandating that colleges, universities, and other institutions of
higher learning be required to publish their violent crime and
drug/alcohol offense statistics. Four states have adopted such
legislation; it is pending in 29 other states.
The Clerys also have worked for passage of Federal legislation,
and obtained sponsorship for the "Crime Awareness and Campus Security
Act of 1989" in the United States Senate and the Mouse of Representatives.
-- Milton Cole, of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Milton Cole has
a long history of helping to organize victim assistance for Boston's
public housing residents, and has been active for many years in crime
prevention and community activities in the Boston area. Me rounded
a community patrol in the Bromley-Heath public housing project, which
plays a vital role in protecting residents against crime and drug
dealing. The patrol has become a model for other public housing anti-
crime programs.
Cole also played a key role in establishing the Martha Eliot Health Center,
which operates a drug treatment program at a public housing project. In addition, he has been
instrumental in organizing support groups for addicts and travels extensively to conduct training
workshops on preventing and controlling drug abuse in public housing.
-- Sandra Heverly, of Lag Vegas, Nevada. Heverly became an activist for
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in 1983 following a family tragedy caused by a
drunk driver. As executive director of Clark County, Nevada, MADD, she has worked
tirelessly as a volunteer directing public awareness campaigns, special events, media
promotions, and court monitoring programs, raising funds, and advocating legislation.
Because of her efforts, Nevada legislators have passed some of the toughest DUI
(Driving Under the Influence) legislation in the country.
Heverly also founded and coordinates the Clark County MADD Speakers Bureau, and
various educational, has conducted more than 500 presentations to
religious, medical, and civic groups. She produced two training films for DUI schools, and
appeared in MADD's "Home for the Holidays," a film shown on television and in movie theaters.
She also was instrumental in establishing a Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) chapter in
Nevada.
-- Dean G. Kilpatrick, of Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. Kilpatrick has been involved with the
victims' rights movement since 1974, when he helped found People Against Rape, a rape crisis center
in Charleston, South Carolina. From that beginning, he pioneered
research studies documenting the scope and long-term psychological
impact of crime upon victims. He also was instrumental in establishing the Crime Victims
Research and Treatment Center at the Medical University of South Carolina, which provides
direct mental health treatment to victims and their families, and provides specialized
training for professional mental health counselors.
As a member of the South Carolina Crime Victims Advisory Board, Kilpatrick helped set public
policy for victims' services in the area of compensation and assistance, and was a founding
member of the South Carolina Victims Assistance Network. In addition, he worked for the
passage and strengthening of the South Carolina Crime Victims Bill of
Rights to obtain more equitable compensation coverage for mental health
counseling and state funding for evidentiary rape examinations.
Dr. Kilpatrick has demonstrated a sustained commitment to the
mission of promoting greater awareness, understanding, and effective
response to crime victims.
-- Emelia "Mimi" Olson, of Fort Thompson, South Dakota. For 23
years, Olson has provided services to Native Americans on the Crow
Creek Reservation. She began first as a school nurse in Stephan,
South Dakota, and then became a consultant to Red Horse Lodge, a group
home for emotionally-disturbed Indian children. She obtained support
and funding to assist child victims of sexual abuse, and worked to
establish protocols to protect child crime victims.
Olson also was instrumental in organizing the first victim assistance program on the Crow Creek
Reservation, which she now manages. When the local domestic violence and sexual assault
assistance program was floundering, she took over the administration of that program.
Her contributions have been admirable and deserving of special
recognition.
-- John Walsh, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. A victims activist
since the murder of his son, Adam, Walsh has become the Nation's most
visible spokesman for missing and molested children. He rounded the
Adam Walsh Child Resource Center, a nonprofit organization responsible
for nationwide public education on child safety and dedicated to
legislative reform.
Walsh vigorously lobbied for passage of the Missing Children's Act
of 1982 and the Missing Children's Assistance Act of 1984--legislation
which led to the creation of the National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children. He also travels and promotes legislation at the
state level to prevent the abduction and molestation of children. To
date, his efforts have resulted in passage of more than 35 state laws
to protect and prevent child victimization.
"The work of the individuals honored during Victims' Rights week
each year has brought this Nation a long way in restoring a balance to
the criminal justice system so that crime victims receive the fairness
and respect that they deserve," Thornburgh said. "This Administration,
particularly the Department of Justice, and the Office of
Justice Programs, through its Office for Victims of Crime, is committed to
carrying on this important work in partnership at the
Federal, state, and local levels."
The Office for Victims of Crime serves as the Federal focal point
for addressing the needs and improving the treatment of crime victms.
OVC administers the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) program, which awards
grants to states to expand victim compensation and assistance and
supports innovative crime victim projects. OVC also provides training
for criminal justice officials to inform them about the needs of crime
victims and how to better serve them.
The VOCA program is primarily financed by the Crime Victims Fund.
Monies in the fund come--not from taxpayers--but from fines, penalties,
and bond forfeitures assessed on convicted Federal defendants.
After hours, contact: Anne Voigt, (703) 971-4871
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