National Crime Victims' Rights Week, 2001

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Part V

The President

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Proclamation 7424--National Crime Victims' Rights Week, 2001

Proclamation 7425--National D.A.R.E. Day, 2001

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 7424 of April 9, 2001

National Crime Victims' Rights Week, 2001

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Every day, Americans are making progress both in the
fight against crime and in the effort to ensure fair
and compassionate treatment of victims and their
families. Dedicated volunteers, health care
professionals, counselors, and law enforcement
personnel in communities large and small are raising
the public's awareness that victims have important
rights.

Decreasing crime rates are encouraging, but we are far
from winning the war against crime. According to the
most recent National Crime Victimization Survey, nearly
29 million people were victimized by crime in 1999,
including more than 7 million victims of violent crime.
Americans cannot afford to be complacent. All of us
must continue efforts to stop crime and to improve
services for those harmed by crime.

The voices of our Nation's victims continue to have a
powerful effect in changing laws, policies, and
attitudes to promote victims' rights and services. They
encourage every person in America to take a stand and
to lend their support. My Administration is committed
to improving public safety and to providing justice for
all who have been victimized. We will fight for public
policies that prevent crimes. We will steadfastly
support those responsible for enforcing the laws and
protecting the innocent. And we will attempt to see
that offenders, not victims, pay the high cost of
crime.

Our Nation's commitment to crime victim assistance
grows stronger every year, with thousands of programs
in place to provide help and hope. My Administration is
committed to expanding opportunities for faith-based
and charitable organizations dedicated to serving
persons in need. Crime victims often turn to faith-
based organizations for assistance and support during
times of crisis, and religious leaders and communities
are vital links in our national network of victim
services.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of National Crime
Victims' Rights Week. The campaign to win rights for
victims parallels other grassroots movements in our
Nation's history. These crusades most frequently began
as small local movements led by groups of passionate
individuals who spoke out in protest when they saw
inequities. During this week, let us join in the effort
to establish fair legal rights and services for crime
victims.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by the authority vested in me
by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do
hereby proclaim April 22 through 28, 2001, as National
Crime Victims' Rights Week. I urge all Americans to
share the burden of reducing crime in their communities
and to follow the example of those who have helped
establish rights and improve services for victims.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord two
thousand one, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.

(Presidential Sig.)B