Victims and Citizens Against Crime Accomplishments

Obtained $1.2 million in La. funding to put the statewide Automated Victim Notification System into operation in 2002. We had the legislation / system created in 1999 without funding.

Legislation created to prevent sex offenders from moving to Louisiana. It was only a misdemeanor for sex offenders who failed to register in Louisiana. Sex offenders were moving from many other states to Louisiana where it is a felony not to register. Our new La. low makes it a felony. Sex offenders in Louisiana will now have to re-register every year and they can receive up to 10 years for failure to do so.

Lobbied legislation to fund the TOPS and Pre-K programs.

Legislation to require the crimes such as abuse and neglect of senior citizens has to be reported to law enforcement agincies, even by governmental agencies.

Legislation to properly fund the salaries of the Louisiana State Police to recruit and retain officers. After one year, Louisiana State Police officers will have a starting salary of $36,000.00. The same legislation also funds the D.A.R.E. Program in schools throughout the State of Louisiana, every year.

The state legislature appointed us to serve on the Juvenile Justice Commission which will look into revamping all of the laws in the State of Louisiana that pertain to children from pre-birth forward. This may be one of the most important endeavors in decades.

We have been appointed to serve on the Orleans Parish Domestic Violence Commission; the Jefferson Parish Stalking and Harassment Advisory Committee; the Mental Health / Drug Coalition of Jefferson Parish; the Coalition of Drug organizations in Orleans Parish; the Children's Coalition, among many others. Many other organizations and coalitions deem it mecessary that we be made a part of their commissions, coalitions or committees. They feel that we are one of the most knowledgeable and influential organizations in the State of Louisiana.

We continue to serve on the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council for Orleans Parish; the Jail / Criminal Justice Commission of Jefferson Parish; the Local Law Enforcement Grant Commission of Jefferson Parish; the Louisiana Pardon Board; the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice; and many other boards and commissions throughout the State of Louisiana. Not many citizens realize how powerful and effective our organization has become.

VCAC celebrated our 12th birthday on July 4, 2002 (Independence Day from crime.)

We start our 12th year on our radio show on WSMB on August 28, 2002.

VCAC received mumerous awards from many organizations such as a special advocacy award from the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (CADA) of Metropolitan New Orleans.

We expect to be appointed to the newly created State Council of the "Interstate Compact Agreement for Adult Offenders" which required an minimum of 35 states to pass legislation. We assisted having La.'s legislation passed in 2001. La. can now become a member of the "National Commission" consisting of all states who have such legislation and a state council.

There are many other achievements that our organization accomplished in 2002, in addition to assisting victims of crime and their survivors throughout the State of Louisiana.

Educated and supported individual crime victims, their survivors/friends and witnesses in their dealings with criminal justice system agencies, the news media, etc.

Continue to operate referral support programs for victims.

VCAC has nominees serving on: Jefferson Parish Jail Committee; Orleans Parish Criminal Justice Coordinating Counil; Louisiana's Indigent Defender Board (Cost Containment Committee); Parole Board; Pardon Board; Crime Victims Reparations Board; La. Commission on Law Enforcement, among numerous other state and local boards and commissions.

VCAC produces a two hour, weekly, "Crime Watch" radio show on WSMB-1350AM, every Staurday from 6am-8am.

VCAC is one of five memebers of the Jefferson Parish Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Advisory Board.

VCAC is a memeber of three American Correctional Association's committees. The Victims Committee; Restorative Justice Committee and the Children's Initiative Committee.

VCAC is a member of the Victims Advisory Board of the La. Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

VCAC, again, successfully lobbied the legistlature to fund the Victim/Witness Assistance Coordinators Program that was "created" by VCAC. Funding ensures that all 41 La. judicial districts (D.A.'s offices) continue to have coordinators to assist victims and witnesses in Fiscal Years 99-2000.

Monitered: Thousands of Parole board cases and the voting records of all parole board memeber.

Monitored: All pardon board cases and the voting records of all pardon board members.

Successfully lobbied legistlature to fund Tulane University's "Project Return" that rehabilitates worthy convicts after their release from prison.

Assisted, addressed, and educated many business, civic, social, senior citizen, and homeowner associations.

Manitained a "Court Watchers" program, among other programs, for the 7th year.

Educated legislators by testifying before local and state legislative bodies. This policy caused many positive and major changes to local/state criminal justice systems, their ordinances/statutes and their agencies.

Created a statewide Victims Automated Notification and Information law and the Integrated Criminal Justice Information Policy Board.

Maintained a "Court Watchers" program among other programs for the 7th year.

Assisted, addressed and educated many business, civic, social, senior citizen and homeowner organizations.

Monitored: All pardon board cases and the voting records of all board members

Successfully lobbied legislature to fund Tulane University's "Project Return" that rehabilitates worthy convicts after their release from prison.

Monitored: Thousands of parole board cases and the voting records of all board members.

Successfully lobbied legislature to fund the Victim/Witness Assistance Coordinators program that was created by VCAC. Funding ensures that all 41 La. judicial districts continue to have coordinators to assist victims and witnesses in Fiscal Year 98-99.

VCAC was appointed to the Advisory Board of the La. Department of Public Safety and Corrections - Crime Victims Services Bureau.

VCAC was appointed as one of twenty members to the American Correctional Association's National Victims Committee, the National Restorative Justice Committee and the Children's Initiative Committee.

VCAC was appointed as one of five members to the Jefferson Parish Local Law Enforcement Block Grants Advisory Board.

Produced a two hour weekly radio show on WSMB-1350AM every Saturday.

VCAC nominees served on: Jefferson Parish Jail Committee; Orleans Parish Criminal Justice Coordinating Council; Louisiana's Indigent Defender Board (Cost Containment Committee); Pardon Board; Crime Victims Reparations Board; Parole Board; La. Commission on Law Enforcement, plus numerous other boards/commissions.

Operated referral support programs for victims.

Educated and supported individual crime victims, their survivors/friends and witnesses in their dealing with the criminal justice system and its agencies.

Maintained, for the 6th year, a "Court Watchers" program.

Educated, assisted and addressed many business, civic, social, senior citizen, homeowner organizations, etc.

Monitored: Thousands of pardon board cases; the voting records of board members in pardon, clemency and commutation cases.

Monitored: Thousands of parole board cases; the voting records of board members in work release, boot camp, parole and revocation cases.

Convinced Gov. Foster to fund the Victim/Witness Assistance Coordinator program that was drafted by VCAC/ District Attorneys Assn. Funding ensures that all 41 judicial districts have coordinators to assist victims.

VCAC served on a five person committee appointed to recommend changes to the operations of the parole board. An operating manual was created including an ethics policy, grievance procedures, mission statement, etc. Adoption pending.

Uncovered and exposed the illegal operations of both the pardon board and parole board and brought about major changes in their operations. The Louisiana Inspector General investigated and made reports as a result of VCAC's exposures.

Uncovered that no law enforcement agencies in Louisiana had requested, as required by statute, to be informed when parolees were being released to their areas. Agencies requested to do so. Outcome incomplete.

Uncovered that the Division of Probation and Parole was unintentionally failing to notify local authorities when convicts were going into the public to participate in work release programs. Error corrected as a result.

Uncovered a major unintentional error in the Louisiana Department of Corrections regulations that allowed certain violent criminals to be classified as non-violent and possibly to have served less time. Error corrected as a result.

VCAC served on: Jefferson Parish Jail Committee; Orleans Parish Criminal Justice Coordinating Council; Louisiana's Indigent Defender Board-Cost Containment Committee; Pardon Board; Crime Victims Reparations Board; Parole Board; Commission-on-Law Enforcement and numerous other boards/commissions.

Operated referral services and a support program for victims.

Continued educating and supporting individual crime victims, their survivors/friends/witnesses in their dealings with the criminal justice agencies/system.

Educated by testifying before local and state legislators. This education policy caused many positive, major changes to local/state criminal justice systems and/or their ordinances/statutes. Some examples are as follows:

New pay plan, benefits, increased manpower for New Orleans Police. Reorganization of Jefferson Parish criminal justice communication systems and policies.

Victims Rights Constitutional Amendment.

Loss of all good time earned by regular parole violators.

Require 4 of 5 votes to grant a pardon, clemency or commutation of sentence.

Drug testing of arrested persons in Orleans Parish.

Require pardon and parole boards to comply with public body/sunshine laws.

Prevent violent criminals from being placed in boot camp programs. Increased minimum sentence of program to 180 days and removed ceiling for maximum sentence.

Require all written/verbal correspondence from elected officials and others to parole and pardon boards to be made public. Victims excepted.

Require a 30 day written notice to victims for parole board hearings and allow testimony, via telephone.

Require district attorneys and courts to render additional victim assistance.

Require Department of Corrections to notify victims of a prisoner's sentence within 90 days regarding parole, good time eligibility, etc.

Carjacking/justifiable homicide legislation.

Allow law enforcement and fire officers to be eligible for benefits when injured aiding victims of crime.

Require judges to declare at sentencing whether the crime is a defined or enumerated crime of violence to ensure correct sentences are served and for habitual offender charges and good time eligibility.

Numerous other accomplishments.


	"Standing Up For The Rights Of The Victim"