For Victims’ Rights, Access & Equity!
Since 1981, the U.S. Department of Justice has recognized National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year’s theme is “Rights, access, equity, for all victims.” This theme aligns with Youth ALIVE!’s work to ensure that communities like ours that are disproportionately impacted by violence, poverty and racism, receive the support for victims that we need and that we deserve.
Youth ALIVE!, and the communities impacted by violence and incarceration that we represent, are uplifting the 2022 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week through events and advocacy, including our Policy Roundtable on Thursday, April 28 from 5-6pm.
In the last year, we have worked with over 500 shooting survivors and family members of homicide victims through our innovative hospital-based violence intervention, violence interruption, mental health, and crisis response and support programs. Youth ALIVE!’s leadership on policy and advocacy is informed by the experiences, and lifted through the voices, of the crime victims and survivors we have served over the past 30 years.
“We are honoring National Crime Victims’ Rights Week by pushing for policy solutions that provide victims and survivors with the mental, emotional, and financial support they need to recover from their trauma,” says Gabriel Garcia, Policy and Advocacy Director at Youth ALIVE!. “We rely on their voices and stories to guide our policy priorities.”
Youth ALIVE! is sponsoring three bills in the California State Legislature that would expand support for victims of violent crime by reforming the victim compensation program and treating violence like the public health crisis that it is. (Register for our Policy Round Table (create button) to learn more)
Senate Bill 993, authored by Senator Nancy Skinner who represents Oakland in the California State Senate, would improve access to support and services for crime survivors and increase the financial support a survivor can receive.
Senate Bill 299, authored by Senator Connie Leyva (D – Pomona) would allow victims of police violence to receive healing resources from the California Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP).
Assembly Bill 1929, authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D – Calabasas), would create a Community Violence Prevention and Recovery Program within the state’s Medi-Cal system, so victims and survivors with Medi-Cal can receive violence intervention services, like Youth ALIVE!’s Caught in the Crossfire program.
In addition to statewide legislation, Youth ALIVE! has worked to convene survivors and provide platforms for their stories to inform policies and practices at the local level.’
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Events
Youth ALIVE! is also supporting NCVRW events
sponsored by Christopher L. Jones Foundation Services Inc.
and Alameda County District Attorney
- On Friday, April 29th, there will be a press conference at OPD Headquarters at 455 7th St, Oakland, at 1:30PM.
- On Saturday, April 30th, the Foundation will host a barbeque at the Lake Merritt Children’s Memorial Statue (located close to Lake Merritt Boating Center at 568 Bellevue Ave, Oakland) starting at 11:30 AM, followed by a memorial balloon release at 1:00PM.