IOVA's Celebration of Crime Victims Rights Week
U. S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE CELEBRATES NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS’
RIGHTS WEEK ON THE SOUTH LAWN OF STATE CAPITOL WITH
IOVA, CVAD, FBI, AND THE IOWA DOC
Des Moines, IA – Matthew G. Whitaker, United States Attorney, for The Southern District of Iowa, celebrated National Crime Victims’ Rights Week on the south lawn of the State Capitol Building. His office joined with The Iowa Organization For Victim Assistance (IOVA), The Crime Victim Assistance Division of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office (CVAD), The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and The Iowa Department of Corrections (DOC) to encourage public awareness about the importance of treating crime victims with dignity and respect, to honor those who serve victims of crime, and to memorialize the names of Iowa citizens who lost their lives to violent crime over the past year.
The celebration included the following:
- Lisa Beckwith, Violent Crime Survivor, provided a candid and personal reflection
as to the impact violent crime has had on her life
- The 2008 ‘John and Kay Egan Memorial Award’ was presented to Sergeant Joe
Gonzalez of the Des Moines Police Department
- Matthew G. Whitaker, U.S. Attorney, presented federally seized U.S. Postage
Stamps valued at more than $30,000 to non-profit crime victim service
organizations (see attached background sheet relating to stamp seizure)
- Recognition that on March 27, 2008, Chester J. Culver, as Governor of the Great
State of Iowa, proclaimed the week of April 13-19 as Iowa Crime Victims’ Rights
Week
- The ceremony was then closed with the reading of the names of Iowa’s crime
victims
Background Information:
- The John and Kay Egan Memorial Award is presented annually to a dedicated activist who recognizes and responds to the rights, needs and desires of victims of violent crimes. The Egan Award, began in tragedy; In 1983 John and Kay Egan’s daughter, a student at the University of Iowa, was murdered at the hand of her boyfriend. After the death of their daughter, the Egans have become recognized for their tireless efforts in advocating for the rights of victims. Kay passed away in 1998, John in 2003.
- The recipient of the Egan award this year if Sergeant Joe Gonzalez, a thirty-three year veteran of the Des Moines Police Department. Sgt. Gonzalez has a long history of helping others in trouble and assisted, then Chief Bill McCarthy, in developing the Hispanic Outreach Neighborhood Resource Advocate Unit (H.O.N.R.A.) to assist in developing trust and providing services to the areas growing Latino community. Currently over 300 calls for service a month are being handled by the H.O.N.R.A. Unit. Sgt. Joe Gonzalez has been honored throughout the regional area for his work with victims, children and persons in crisis. A true crime fighter, who knows compassion for victims is a very real component of any real criminal justice system, IOVA is proud to bestow this year’s John and Kay Egan Memorial Award to Sgt. Joe Gonzalez.
Close:
- This year’s theme is ‘Justice for Victims. Justice for All’. “Treating victims of crime with the care and respect is a fundamental responsibility we all share. And, victim’s rights is a critical component in the foundation of our American justice system. So, as we pursue justice against perpetrators of crime, we mush also, at the same time pursue justice for all individuals who are impacted by those crimes.” Said Matthew G. Whitaker, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa.
- For more information about the Iowa Organization for Victim Assistance and their efforts can be found on their website at: www.iowaiova.com