LAKE COUNTY — National Crime Victims” Rights Week is April 22 to 28, and the District Attorney”s Office, Victim-Witness Division will honor the occasion with a series of activities and programs.
This year”s theme is “Extending the Vision: Reaching Every Victim.”
On April 21, “McGruff the Crime Dog” will attend the Lake County Cares for Kids, Children”s Festival at Library Park in Lakeport from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The division will host a private barbecue recognizing victim advocates, law enforcement, special providers and attorneys at noon on April 24.
On April 25, Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians and Sunrise Special Services Foundation will host a training event for the division on “From Report through Court” and “Impact of AB 109 on Issues Involving Victims of Crime.”
Assembly Bill 109 is part of the state”s criminal justice realignment.
The public training will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Twin Pine Casino and Hotel in Middletown. Lunch will be included. Space is limited to 50 participants. To register, contact the Victim-Witness Division at 262-4282 or Debbie.Wallace@lakecountyca.gov.
The national advocacy movement for victims” rights began more than 30 years ago, according to Victim-Witness Division Director Deborah Wallace.
“Then — as now — crime victims endured physical and emotional wounds, costly financial burdens, an often hostile criminal justice system and an alarming public tendency to blame them for the crimes against them,” Wallace said in a statement.
Significant progress in protecting victims” rights has been made since the 1980s, but there is still more to do, she added.
A majority of crimes go unreported and less than 20 percent of victims receive services they need, according to Wallace.
For more information about the local advocacy effort, check out “Victim/Witness Division of the Lake County District Attorney” on Facebook.
To learn more about the national movement, visit www.crimevictims.gov.
