NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEK 1991
AWARD WINNERS

Gail Abarbanel
Director
Rape Treatment Center
Santa Monica, California

For the past 20 years, Gail Abarbanel's life work has been focused on bringing justice and effective care to rape victims. In so doing, she has helped to raise the nation's consciousness about the crime of rape and the way in which rape victims are treated. Ms. Abarbanel is credited with the founding of the Rape Treatment Center at Santa Monica Hospital, a comprehensive multidisciplinary program that provides treatment to rape victims, including forensic examinations, medical treatment and counseling. This program was selected by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) as a model for an NIMH training film on hospital-based rape treatment services.

Ms. Abarbanel was instrumental in launching a national campaign to stop campus rape. Two years ago, she published a landmark report setting forth recommended policies and programs for colleges to adopt in order to prevent rapes and provide effective victim support. As a result of this work, campus rape victims now have identified rights and protections.

In addition, Ms. Abarbanel has initiated, directed, and raised funding for other programs: Senderos, a program providing bilingual/bicultural Rape Treatment Center services to Latino victims; and Stuart House, an internationally recognized, model facility serving sexually abused children through the multidisciplinary approach--an approach that brings police, prosecutors, mental health specialists, child protective service providers and medical experts together to investigate, prosecute and treat child abuse victims.

Josephine Bass
Executive Director
Neopolitan Lighthouse
Chicago, Illinois

Josephine Bass is to be commended for her dedication to and service on behalf of women and their children who are victims of domestic violence. She first became involved with victims of domestic violence in 1980 when she was employed as a social worker at the Salvation Army Emergency Lodge, and later as director of counseling at Rainbow House, a shelter for battered women.

Ms. Bass is the founder and Executive Director of Neopolitan Light- house, a not-for-profit, grassroots social change agency which serves Chicago's West Side Garfield Park community. She was the driving force that first brought services to victims of domestic violence residing in Garfield Park, as well as the driving force that has kept it firmly rooted in that community. Ms. Bass has made personal as well as professional contributions to victims of domestic violence, donating her own money to insuring that the doors of the shelter remain open.

In 1989, Neopolitan Lighthouse became unable to accommodate the growing number of domestic violence victims seeking its services. Thus, in response, Ms. Bass and the Board of Neopolitan Lighthouse were instrumental in opening a second shelter, the Lifeline Homeless Shelter.

Frank Carrinqton, Esq.
Crime Victims Litigation Project
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Frank Carrington's sincere personal commitment and outstanding legal contributions have served to open many doors for crime victims in the criminal justice system. His professional and volunteer involvement in the crime victims movement spans decades. Mr. Carrington has lectured, written, and advocated on behalf of crime victims from a number of various perspectives. As a police officer, legal counselor to police departments and law enforcement associations, leader of national advocacy organizations, as well as an attorney in private practice, he has left no stone unturned in his pursuit of the rights of crime victims. He has experienced and shared the effects of violent crime within his own family.

Mr. Carrington was a member of President Reagan's Task Force for Victims of Crime and now directs the activities of the Coalition of Victims' Attorneys & Consultants (COVAC); a clearinghouse of legal information and a provider of support for those undertaking victim-related litigation. He was instrumental in securing passage of the Federal Students' Right to Know and Campus Security Act of 1990. Through Security on Campus, Inc., Mr. Carrington has provided legal research and opinions to victims of campus crimes. Often providing his legal services free of charge, he has helped many victims and victims' attorneys bring successful litigation against perpetrators and negligent third parties. He is widely regarded as one of the "founding fathers" of the crime victims movement.

Jayne G. Crisp
Project Coordinator for Training and Community Development
South Carolina State Office of Victim Assistance
Greenville, South Carolina

Jayne Crisp is a dedicated, energetic victim service provider who has devoted years of hard work to not only the people of Greenville County, but also to those victims throughout the State of South Carolina. Her contributions in the area of victim services are numerous. Ms. Crisp established the Rape Crisis Council of Greenville in 1974; and in 1978, the first

prosecutor-based Victim Witness Assistance Program in South Carolina, a program which she directed for 13 years. Her victim witness program has been recognized as a service model for sensitively addressing the needs of victimized children faced with the procedural complexities of our criminal court system and the difficulties of testifying against perpetrators. In her present capacity, as state Project Coordinator for Training and Community Development, Ms. Crisp provides training and shares her victims service and program management expertise with field programs throughout the State of South Carolina.

Ms. Crisp produced a video tape for child witnesses, "Taking the Stand," which is now used in forty-five states, and she is also credited with the "Housewise, Streetwise Program," one of the first comprehensive and nationally recognized child safety education curriculums.

Ms. Crisp helped coordinate South Carolina's first Volunteer Crisis Response Team, established a free counseling program for crime victims, and co-authored a survival guide for victims and their families. She was a board member of the National Organization for Victim Assistance, for 6 years; member, Governor's Criminal Justice Crime and Delinquency Commission, for 5 years; trainer and consultant, the Crime Victims Research Treatment Center, Medical University of South Carolina, and the National Victim Center.

Ms. Crisp continues to influence victims' rights legislation on federal, state and local levels, and is recognized for her training seminars directed at developing an insightful awareness of victims' rights and issues.

John W. Gillis
Parole Commissioner, California Board of Prison Terms
Alhambra, California

John Gillis's commitment to crime victims is grounded in personal tragedy. His 21 year old daughter was murdered in 1979 by a gang which targeted her because she was the daughter of a law enforcement officer. Mr. Gillis was a member of the Los Angeles Police Department from 1962 until his retirement in 1988. In his capacity as Detective Lieutenant, he supervised detectives responsible for investigating all types of crimes, including over 100 homicide investigations.

After the murder of his daughter, Mr. Gillis became active in Parents of Murdered Children, a support group for homicide survivors, and founded Justice for Homicide Victims--a legislative action arm of the California Center for Family Survivors of Homicide. This advocacy group articulates the unique interests and works to further the rights of homicide survivors. Mr. Gillis is also the founder of Coalition of Victims, Equal Rights (COVER), a statewide umbrella organization that works to maximize the impact of all victims organizations within the State of California.' In so doing, COVER advocates on behalf of victims at both the state and federal levels and monitors judicial decisions that affect victims' rights.

As a result of Mr. Gillis' legislative advocacy, the State of California recently passed Proposition 115, the Judicial Reform Act. This new law streamlines and simplifies court procedures for the benefit of crime victims as they interact with the court system during the prosecution of alleged perpetrators.

In 1990, Mr. Gillis was appointed a Commissioner of the Board of Prison Terms, the California parole board, by former Governor Deukmejian. His appointment was strongly supported by former Senator and present Governor, Pete Wilson. In his work as a Commissioner, he is a strong advocate for consideration of the effects of crime on victims and their families.

Nancy Stoner-Lampy
LECC/VW Coordinator
Office of U.S. Attorney
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Nancy Stoner-Lampy is the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee/- Victim-Witness Coordinator for the District of South Dakota. In this capacity, she has developed an excellent rapport with Indian communities in a state which encompasses nine Indian reservations. Her ability to extend herself and involve Native American law enforcement officers and social service providers has resulted in a more effective, better coordinated law enforcement response in South Dakota. She also worked to establish a victim/witness subcommittee for the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee.

Ms. Stoner-Lampy has been an outstanding advocate for Native American victims of violent crime, often personally seeking and arranging for much needed services for victims. She worked diligently with the Office for Victims of Crime to provide therapy to 20-30 victims of child sexual abuse at the Rocky Ford School On the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. She sought funding to finance mental health services for two children who were victims of sexual molestation by a minister on the Lower Brule Indian Reservation. She also sought out post-conviction mental health treatment services for two Native American child sexual abuse victims who were raped by their father on the Rosebud Indian Reservation.

Whether it be counseling for sexually abused children, shelter for a battered woman and her infant child, or support for a family who has lost a loved one to homicide, Nancy Stoner-Lampy has been there to give of herself to those who need her.

Ms. Stoner-Lampy has been a leader in developing the model for how victim/witness services can be provided in remote areas where transportation is often difficult and telephones are not a common convenience.

At every opportunity, Ms. Stoner-Lampy presents seminars and workshops concerning unique victim issues on Indian reservations. Since 1988, she has worked with the Crow Creek Reservation Child Protection Team in developing a reservation child abuse plan. These efforts have built a cooperative and trusting relationship between agencies and have served to benefit the children of Crow Creek.

Barbara Reed
Coordinator for Remove Intoxicated Drivers (RID)
Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Barbara Reed, moved by the death of a close friend and her friend's children--victims of an intoxicated driver--co-founded Remove Intoxicated Drivers (RID) in Anderson County, Tennessee. She then proceeded to establish more chapters throughout the state and, ultimately, became Coordinator for RID/Tennessee. Recognizing another need--that of explaining court system procedures to victims and their families--she undertook the task of learning about the complexities of court and parole procedures. As a result of this self-education, she has become an effective liaison between victims and their families, and law enforcement. In this capacity, she encourages the victims to describe their victimization experiences to law enforcement officers, and other criminal justice system professionals, through the drafting and submission of victim impact statements.

Mrs. Reed worked for the passage of the Tennessee Victims' Rights Law and is a member of the Steering Committee and the Legislative Committee of the East Tennessee Victims' Rights Task Force. She has also organized a Court-Watch system for drunk driving cases statewide to ensure that applicable laws are applied as intended by the state legislature. She has also helped other groups to establish similar systems for victims of child abuse and spouse abuse.

Mrs. Reed has given presentations regarding victim impact statements, the Court-Watch program, and victims support groups at Tennessee Highway Safety Conferences, Tennessee Law Enforcement Conferences, and Drunk Driving Conferences.