Justice Department Honors New York Professor for 30 Years Advocating for Victims' Rights

NEW YORK, April 23, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Justice will recognize Susan Herman of Pace University for more than 30 years of advancing services for crime victims.  Attorney General Eric Holder will present her with an award during the National Crime Victims' Rights Week awards ceremony on Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in Washington, D.C.

"These committed individuals are being honored for their dedication to assisting and supporting victims of crime all across the country," said Attorney General Eric Holder. "Their actions inspire all Americans, to do what we can, each in our own way, to help lessen the physical, emotional and financial impacts of crime on people in our communities."

As the former executive director of the National Center for Victims of Crime, Herman will receive the National Crime Victim Service Award for demonstrating extraordinary leadership and vision through the development of numerous programs to aid victims.  These include the Stalking Resource Center, which provides assistance and training to victim service providers and criminal justice agencies across the country and the Teen Victim Project, which assists communities in raising awareness and better serving teen victims. She launched the National Crime Victim Bar Association, which educates attorneys, victim service providers and the general public on the availability of civil remedies for crime victims.  

In 2010, Herman wrote Parallel Justice for Victims of Crime, emphasizing society's role not only in holding offenders accountable, but also in repairing the harm to crime victims.  As an associate professor in the Criminal Justice and Security department, Herman regularly challenges her students to make a difference for crime victims in their communities.

In addition to Herman, Attorney General Holder will recognize 12 other individuals and organizations for their outstanding efforts on behalf of crime victims.  Descriptive narratives and videos of the contributions of all recipients are available at the Office for Victims of Crime's Gallery: https://ovcncvrw.ncjrs.gov/Awards/AwardGallery/gallerysearch.html.

President Reagan proclaimed the first Victims' Rights Week in 1981, calling for renewed emphasis on, and sensitivity to, the rights of victims.  National Crime Victims' Rights Week will be observed this year from April 21-27.

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), headed by Acting Assistant Attorney General Mary Lou Leary, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. OJP has six components: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. For more information about OJP, please visit: www.ojp.gov.

SOURCE Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs