SCR 144: Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

WHEREAS, Violent crime continues to exist in California, and crime in one part of the state, or crime against one person, affects our entire sense of well-being; and

WHEREAS, All Californians are affected by crime, not just the victims of violent crime; and

WHEREAS, The most effective aid that can be provided to victims of crime is to prevent crime from happening in the first place; and

WHEREAS, Since 1981, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week has raised awareness of the special needs of crime victims; and

WHEREAS, This year, the theme for this week is “Listen. Act. Advocate. Protect Victims, Serve Communities.” which asks friends, family members, neighbors, colleagues, community leaders, victim service providers, criminal justice practitioners, and health professionals how we can help crime victims; and

WHEREAS, This year’s theme of “Listen. Act. Advocate. Protect Victims, Serve Communities.” is a call-to-action to recognize that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime; and

WHEREAS, The respect for, and protection of, victims’ rights within the legal process is one of the most critical components of an effective criminal justice system; and

WHEREAS, Victims and witnesses of crime require special attention to ensure that they are thoroughly informed about, and effectively participate in, the criminal justice system; and

WHEREAS, To the maximum extent allowed by law, victims of violent crime should receive compensation for their losses; and

WHEREAS, Each day, thousands of victims and witnesses receive assistance from victim support organizations, victim-witness assistance centers, private service providers, and state and local governments; and

WHEREAS, The criminal justice system in this state must persist in its effort to better coordinate and improve the quality of services provided to victims and witnesses; and

WHEREAS, California has been an innovator in the victims’ rights movement with the establishment of the first shelters for battered women in the nation created by Women’s Advocates and Haven House in Pasadena in 1964, the first crime victim compensation program in the nation in 1965, and the founding of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in 1980 with the establishment of a chapter in Sacramento; and

WHEREAS, California citizens enshrined victims’ rights in the California Constitution in 1982 through the passage of Proposition 8, the Victims’ Bill of Rights; and

WHEREAS, California citizens reaffirmed and afforded additional rights to victims in the California Constitution and in California law in 2008 through the passage of Proposition 9, the Victims’ Bill of Rights Act of 2008: Marsy’s Law; and

WHEREAS, California citizens reaffirmed their commitment to public safety and accountability for victims of crime in 2024 through the passage of Proposition 36, the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act, which mandated increased penalties for repeat retail theft and provided a framework for treatment-mandated felony programs to address the fentanyl crisis; and

WHEREAS, Each year, the observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week focuses on the problems confronting victims of crime and the services available to support these victims; and

WHEREAS, The remembrances observed during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week promote awareness of victims’ issues and acknowledge the combined efforts of citizens, the government, and the criminal justice system to improve victims’ services in California; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby recognizes the week of April 19, 2026, to April 25, 2026, inclusive, as Crime Victims’ Rights Week in California; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.