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2005
National Crime Victims' Rights Week The honorees received special recognition during the awards ceremony hosted April 8, 2005, by the Office for Victims of Crime to honor victim advocates, organizations, and programs in the field of victim services.
To view more details, click on a photo for an enlarged view National Crime Victim Service Awards
Steve Derene Steve Derene is the Executive Director of the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators (NAVAA). For 25 years, Steve has had a powerful impact on the field of victims' rights and services and on the lives of countless victims and survivors of crime and those who serve them. While known and revered by those in the field as a "policy wonk" and the "world's leading expert on VOCA," his commitment and service to the field also includes his valuable research. Steve is involved in planning and providing top-notch training and technical assistance to the field, in particular, VOCA administrators and staff; strategic planning and evaluation; the improvement and expansion of direct victim services (including services to underserved victim populations); and efforts that have promoted collaboration among key stakeholders who should be involved in victim assistance efforts. His leadership of NAVAA has helped maintain the integrity of the Crime Victims Fund and has resulted in the creation of a strong network of victim service organizations and providers in addition to outstanding training opportunities. Steve has also served for years on the National Victims Constitutional Amendment Network Board of Directors and is also on the Board of the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA). Steve helped enact and implement Wisconsin 's first Bill of Rights for Crime Victims in the United States. He has had a major leadership and technical assistance role in local, state, and national policies and practices that promote victims' rights and services. Steve's nomination by Justice Solutions was supported by more than 40 individuals representing national and state victim advocates and organizations, VOCA and victim compensation administrators, and Wisconsin victim advocates and allied professionals.
Patricia McGeshick For more than 18 years, Patricia McGeshick has dedicated herself to providing and improving services for victims of sexual and domestic abuse and other crimes on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation and in the surrounding communities. Patricia came to work for the Fort Peck Tribes under a Sexual Abuse Victim's Treatment contract from the Bureau of Indian Affairs which was awarded as a result of the unfortunate need for this service in the area. Since her tenure began in 1986, the scope of services for victims of sexual, domestic violence, and other crimes increased significantly and a model victims' advocacy program was developed. A major accomplishment achieved under Patricia's leadership was the establishment and operation of a community-based, culturally appropriate Family Resource Center. Prior to 2003, the victim assistance programs operated out of a suite located in the Tribal Court building. This location was not suitable for the provision of victim services because of its proximity to the court with its high traffic volume. Patricia leveraged resources of the Fort Peck Tribes and Bureau of Indian Affairs to purchase a building stationed in a more appropriate location and renovated it for use as the Fort Peck Tribes' Resource Center. The Resource Center programs reflect Patricia's willingness to coordinate and collaborate with other community programs and jurisdictions. This model project can be replicated in Indian Country by individuals who share Patricia's spirit of dedication and energy. Her continued advocacy for victims has been a catalyst for more positive attitudes about the benefit of victim services within the community and tribal government. Patricia was nominated by Fort Peck Tribes Chairman Ray Eder.
Linda Stephens Known as a coach, a mentor, and an inspiration, Linda Stephens has been a voice for and supporter of crime victims in Butler County, Ohio, since 1997. Realizing that victims often never received important information about their cases or rights, Linda persuaded the sheriff's office to establish a victim assistance program. Over the last 8 years, she has served countless victims, often providing money for their needs out of her own pocket. Linda recognized early on the financial burdens of criminal victimization and decided that victims often needed monetary aid more than other types of assistance. In one case, she provided court support to a domestic violence victim, Amy Rezos, whose husband had drained their bank accounts. A week after she sat with Amy at a preliminary hearing, Amy's husband hid in the back of Amy's van and shot her twice in the head. Amy survived but struggled to recover, due in large part to the depletion of her monetary resources. As a result of these unfortunate circumstances, Linda became an active member of the executive board of the Amy Rezos Foundation, where she works to help victims in Butler County who need immediate financial assistance. In her role as service provider, Linda makes herself available to every victim who comes through the court system. She also started and continues to run a weekly support group for domestic violence victims. Thanks to her active interest in the rights and needs of crime victims, every one of the courts in the county now has a legal advocate. Linda was nominated by Lieutenant Mike Craft of the Butler County Sheriff's Office. Her nomination was supported by Congressman John Boehner.
Marcella Leach More than 20 years ago, Marcella Nicholas Leach suffered the trauma of both violent victimization and re-victimization by the criminal justice system. On November 30, 1983, her only daughter, Marsalee Ann Nicholas, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend who was stalking her. A week after the funeral, Marcella ran into the murderer coming out of the market. As it turns out, he had been released on $50,000 bond. Because he lived only two blocks from her, she had to bear the sight of him regularly driving by her house in his new Porsche. Almost 2 years passed before the ex-boyfriend went to trial. Since this time, Marcella has spent a great deal of her time working to ensure that the injustice of her daughter's case would not befall other family members of homicide victims. Marcella assumed a role as advocate for strong victims' rights at the local and federal level. She joined Ellen Dunne, whose daughter Dominique was strangled to death by an ex-boyfriend, as a founding board member of Justice for Homicide Victims, Inc. Through this organization, she has provided support for thousands of crime victims and blocked paroles for many of their convicted felons. As vice-chair of Crime Victims United, a statewide advocacy group, Marcella has helped to pass dozens of laws that strengthen victims' rights. She considers her greatest accomplishment the creation of a huge marble interactive memorial for homicide victims where biographies of an unlimited number of these victims can be stored; complete with movies, color photographs, and the survivors' voice. Most recently, Marcella led a publicity campaign to defeat a proposition that would have weakened the state's Three Strikes law by releasing 26,000 violent criminals into the community and reducing the number of "strikes" for multiple murders to one. A survivor herself, Marcella has taught people throughout California that victims deserve better. Marcella was nominated by Arnold Heileman, Vice President of Justice for Homicide Victims, Inc., with support from Pete Wilson, 36th governor of California. |
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