National Crime Victim’s Rights Week 2025 is April 6th thru April 12th!
The 2025 theme for National Crime Victim’s Rights Week (NCVRW) is KINSHIP: Connecting & Healing. Per the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), This year’s theme of KINSHIP is a call to action to recognize that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime. KINSHIP is a state of being with survivors that drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. KINSHIP is where victim advocacy begins.
NCVRW History
On March 30th, 1981, President Ronald Reagan experienced an attempted assassination. This led to him to having to navigate the criminal case against his perpetrator with almost no support, and he realized that victims of crime had little to no protections while interfacing with the criminal justice system. From this realization, President Reagan created the Task Force on Victims of Crime in order to examine treatment of victims of crime at the federal, state and local levels. In 1982, the Task Force released their final report, characterizing the criminal justice system’s handling of issues surrounding victims of crime as a “national disgrace” and that victims were “forgotten” within the system.
NCVRW began in 1981 to honor victims and survivors of crime, raise awareness of victims’ rights and services and recognize the dedication of those who work with crime victims. Along with this, the Task Force on Victims of Crime called for federal funding to support crime victim compensation programs and local victim assistance programs. Acting on that recommendation, Congress created the Crime Victims Fund in 1984 through the Victims of Crime Act, also known as VOCA. VOCA was signed into law by President Reagan on October 12, 1984. In 1988, an amendment to the Victims of Crime Act authorized the Office for Victims of Crime to administer the Crime Victims Fund.
In 1992, alongside 4 other states, Colorado passed a state constitutional amendment that provides crime victims with certain and specific rights. Since then, the Colorado Crime Victim Rights Act has been amended multiple times to expand and adapt existing guidelines and protocols to further ensure the rights of victims and witnesses of violent crime.
Under the Constitution of the State of Colorado, victims of a crime have the right to be made aware of “critical stages” in the criminal justice process, including the right to be heard, when relevant. Victims also have the right to be treated with fairness, respect, and dignity. Individual agencies within the criminal justice system, including law enforcement, the courts, the district attorneys, probation, and the Department of Corrections, each have their own responsibilities to victims, along with the responsibilities of the individual victims.
Should a victim feel their rights, as detailed by the most current Colorado Crime Victim Rights Act, are not upheld by one or more criminal justice agency, another part of that victim’s rights is to be able to submit a Victim Rights Complaint to the Crime Victim Services Advisory Board. This is a process that takes time, but helps ensure that if agencies are found to be in dereliction of their responsibilities to victims of crime, the Crime Victim Services Advisory Board can enforce future compliance with the provisions of the Colorado Crime Victims Rights Act. AVRC staff and other resources are available to support victims of crime should those individual victims feel they need to file such a complaint and navigate the proceeding process.
AVRC believes that intervention by the criminal justice system can serve as an effective means of preventing further violence. Crime Victim’s Rights are a vital part of this process, and are always growing and improving to further support and protect victims and witnesses of violence. If you or someone you care about is a victim of violent crime, or if you want to learn more about National Crime Victim’s Rights Week, AVRC Staff are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
415 Colorado Avenue, La Junta, CO 81050
(719) 384-7764
TTY: (719) 384-1938
After Hours Colorado Relay dial 711 or 1-800-659-2656
AVRC is non-discriminatory agency regarding age, race, religion, color, gender, country of national origin, sexual orientation, mental health status, substance use or economic condition.
National Crime Victim’s Rights Week History provided by:
Office for Victims of Crime
https://ovc.ojp.gov/
Office of Justice Programs
https://www.ojp.gov/
Colorado Crime Victim’s Rights Act info provided by:
Colorado Division of Criminal Justice
https://dcj.colorado.gov/dcj-offices/ovp/vra