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2008 National Crime Victims' Rights Week The honorees received special recognition during the awards ceremony hosted April 11, 2008, by the Office for Victims of Crime to honor victim advocates, organizations, and programs in the field of victim services.
Award for Professional Innovation in Victim Services To view more details, click on a photo for an enlarged view.
Andrea L. Lockhart Andrea Lockhart is a survivor of sexual assault. At age 17, she went through the criminal justice system alone and without knowledge that victims had rights. The experience brought about the promise that still drives her today—a promise to make a difference for victims of crime. After earning her bachelor's and master's degrees in criminal justice and working in victim services during college, Andrea became a sexual assault counselor for children and teens in the Tampa area. She soon realized that these young victims experienced a loss of trust and comfort. In the aftermath of her own sexual assault, Andrea had found great comfort in spending time with her dog, so she began bringing a service dog with her when she accompanied victims to and from counseling sessions and trials. She noticed that the presence of her canine partner helped bridge the trust barrier with these young victims and that when they trusted her canine partner, they in turn came to trust her. Her nontraditional method made the victims feel more comfortable and helped them see themselves as survivors rather than victims, all of which led them to be more willing to participate in the criminal justice process. In 2005, Andrea established FLA Four Legged Advocates, Inc., in Polk County, Florida. This nonprofit organization provides “teams” of volunteer advocates and service dogs who assist child victims of sexual assault. Her method is now being used in other areas of the country with different ages and types of crime victims. Andrea's program has received a lot of attention, most notably from then Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who called her to praise her work, sent her a letter of commendation, and even declared July 12, 2006, “FLA Four Legged Advocates, Inc., Day” in Polk County. Andrea Lockhart was nominated by her mother, Kim J. Lockhart, President of FLA Four Legged Advocates, Inc., Winter Haven, Florida.
Donna R. Duplantier Since 1990, Donna Duplantier has worked tirelessly to ensure that victims of federal crime know their rights and are treated with dignity and respect. As a Victim-Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Louisiana, she supports more than 50 Assistant United States Attorneys on federal cases involving murder, robbery, sexual assault, public corruption, immigration, and child pornography. She has provided guidance and training for these attorneys and their support staff on the Crime Victims' Rights Act and the Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance. Donna's talent and dedication were especially evident in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when she was instrumental in reestablishing victim assistance in New Orleans and surrounding areas. When her office was temporarily relocated to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and even when she was temporarily living out of state, Donna flew to New Orleans to assist federal victims and witnesses who had been threatened. Upon her official return to New Orleans in January 2006, she continued to meet her obligations to federal crime victims in spite of Katrina-related obstacles. For example, it was often difficult to locate victims to notify them of their rights. On several occasions, she hand-delivered notification letters and met with victims at their homes. She also called the city's victim service agencies to assess which ones were operating, and met with other victim service providers monthly to develop strategic plans to maximize resources. Also, she served many victims of local crime who were not receiving services from District Attorneys' offices because of the many challenges these offices experienced after Hurricane Katrina. Donna Duplantier was nominated by Kim A. Herd, Assistant Director, LECC/Victim-Witness Staff, Executive Office for United States Attorneys, Washington, D.C. Ronald Wilson Reagan Public Policy Award
Dan Eddy is the Executive Director of the National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards (NACVCB), which provides training, technical assistance, and support to all victim compensation programs in the United States. When he took the position in 1988, seven states had no victim compensation programs. Of course, he helped these states establish their own programs so that crime victims everywhere in the United States could seek financial reimbursement. Such action was not surprising to those who knew Dan. In his previous position as Director of the Crime Victims Project for the National Association of Attorneys General, he had crafted model legislation for implementing several of the recommendations from President Reagan's Task Force on Victims of Crime, including instituting that victim and witness addresses must be kept confidential; extending the statute of limitations for offenses against children; and reforming the bail and sentencing systems. In 2000, he helped to develop and publish a protocol, Response to Mass Casualty Incidents for Crime Victim Compensation Programs, and after September 11, 2001, he updated it to reflect the new challenges compensation programs were facing throughout the country. More recently, Dan completed an all-encompassing Crime Victim Compensation Manager's Guidebook that covers state and federal responsibilities under the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). His experience in the crime victim service field, however, does not stop with victim compensation; he also has worked with advocates to promote all areas of crime victims' rights and the services victims deserve. He has planned conferences with the Office for Victims of Crime to bring together representatives of compensation programs and their colleagues who administer state VOCA assistance programs, so they can work together to provide better services. In short, Dan has dedicated 23 years of his professional life to crime victim compensation and to ensuring justice for all crime victims. Dan Eddy was nominated by Frank S. Henderson, Jr., President of the National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards, and received a letter of support from Judge Ted Poe, Member of Congress, 2d District, Texas.
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