The Washington Coalition of Crime Victim Advocates (WCCVA) unveiled the Wall of Memories today, September 22, 2010, as a way of honoring and remembering homicide victims in Washington State.  

“We wanted to create a way for families and friends of homicide victims to publicly remember and honor their loved ones, while also demonstrating the horrific impact of homicide in our communities,” said Karla Krautscheid, Interim Executive Director for WCCVA.

The Wall of Memories is being unveiled in conjunction with the National Day of Remembrance, which was established as a day to honor homicide victims.  The National Day of Remembrance is celebrated each year on September 25^th.   To view the Wall of Memories or for more information on submitting a photo and story of a loved one who was a homicide victim, visit WCCVA’s website at www.wccva.org or call them at 360-456-3858.

It is the MISSION of the Victim Assistance Unit to provide thoughtful, nonjudgmental outreach and response to the needs of crime victims and witnesses and to ensure the protection of their rights and interests.

To that end, we have the following goals:

To follow statutory requirements so that the rights of victims and witnesses are known and observed.

To ensure that all victims have an avenue for participation in their case and are accommodated and made comfortable to the fullest extent possible.

To provide notification to victims of options, case status, services, the restitution process and court practices

The Victim/Witness Unit has been established in the Ferry County Prosecuting Attorney's Office to assist victims and witnesses through the criminal justice process.  The Ferry County Prosecuting Attorney recognizes that recovering from crime takes time and that victims and witnesses deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.  Many victims and witnesses have never been significantly involved in the criminal justice process and do not know what to expect.  We are here to help!

Here's an example of just some of the services offered by the Victim/Witness Unit:

• Notify victims of hearing dates and changes to those dates
• Connect victims with available resources i.e. mental health/alcohol/drug couseling; community advocates 
• Explain and answer questions regarding the court process
• Familiarize victims and witnesses with courtrooms prior to trials and hearings
• Provide a safe location for victims and witnesses to wait prior to testifying or attending hearings
• Provide information about available protection from threats or harm
• Provide assistance with Protection Orders
• Assist victims in obtaining restitution 
•  Attend defense and/or prosecution interviews with victims and witnesses
• Attend hearings or trial with a victim/witness
• Inform and assist victims regarding the VINE Program.
• Notify victims of the final outcome of a case
• Assist victims in compiling a Victim Impact Statement for sentencing
• Contact employers to explain or verify a victim or witness' involvement in a case
• Answer questions and contact the prosecutor when requested

VICTIM WITNESS UNIT STATISTICS

Here are some statistics about the number of victims the Victim/Witness Unit served from January 1, 2010 thru June 30, 2010.

                                  1/1/10-3/31/10         04/01/10-06/01/10                                                       

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Please take a few moments to explore this site to find the answer to many of your questions and to be immediately linked to resources that can help you.