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After the terrible tragedy at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007, the NCVIA spearheaded an effort to put together a resolution of support to the Virginia Tech community. This resolution was ultimately signed by 55 victim service organizations and over 100 individuals from all over the USA.

On Friday, September 21, 2007, a cross-section of those organizations and individuals met with officials from the university to present the resolution. Organizations represented included POMC, NOVA, the Brady Campaign, Maryland Crime Victim Resource Center, NCVIA and the Office for Victims of Crime. School officials included the President, Provost, Dean of Students, Student Senate president as well as the newly appointed Director of Recovery and Support.

Billed as a “Resolution of Victim Support and Healing”, the meeting provided an opportunity to help the university to deal with the aftermath of the crime by highlighting the kinds of services that would be available to the school to the extent they are needed.

We then laid a wreath at the memorial site that has been erected on the campus to the victims of the April 16 tragedy.

The meeting went very well; the university representatives were impressed with our offer of support and assistance and very grateful for the sense of caring and concern that we expressed.

It is our fervent hope that this effort will serve as a model for the kind of response we Americans should make to tragedies of this kind. It is imperative that people in this country recognize that violence is everyone’s problem and understand that everyone needs to be involved in the solution to the problem of violence in America. Otherwise we are condemning ourselves and our children to lives in a society where, as bad as the problem is today, it can only get worse.

1. California Looks like the Governor plans to sign legislation that may result in as many as 40,000 felons being released because

of the overcrowding that is occurring within the corrections system. YES, WE SAID FORTY THOUSAND!!!!!

2. The Illinois legislature hasn't given up, either. There are bills currently being considered that 1) Seek to effect release for certain

offenders serving Life sentences (no parole) for crimes committed as juveniles; 2) House bill 4384 would bring back Parole

for murderers previously sentenced to Life Without Parole; 3) The Long-term Prisoner study committee -- the one that started

the early release trend in IL(HJR80) is STILL active and there appears to be a good deal of support for reducing sentences for

certain offenses that heretofore carried sentences of 30 years or more and Life without Parole. The onerous aspect of this is the

possibility that any legislation resulting from the study might well be implemented RETROACTIVELY.

GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK ON ANYTHING YOU HEAR WITH REGARD TO EARLY RELEASE IN YOUR STATES!

B. GUESS WHAT??? The Bush administration is back at it -- trying once again to RESCIND THE CRIME VICTIMS FUND! We need

your support to put an end once and for all to this reckless flaunting of the will of Congress and, by definition, of the WE THE

PEOPLE. A plan has been offered to deal with this problem and is making its way through the Congress:

In June 2007, the Congressional Victim’s Rights Caucus introduced H.R. 2941 -- the “Victims of Crime Act Preservation Fund Act of 2007,”

or the VOCA Lockbox bill. This Act is similar to the Social Security Preservation Act – it would remove the VOCA Fund from federal

budgetary consideration. This bill would make the VOCA Fund a specific and protected entity that is only used for service to crime victims,

and not subject to federal budget considerations. To date, the bill has 62 cosponsors.

YOU CAN HELP. Contact your legislator today and ask for his/her support for HR 2941. America's crime victims need this protection!

1. GRASSROOTS, INC. offers FREE web-hosting services for qualified non-profits. Check them out at www.grassroots.org.

2. NCVIA Board Member, Pat Tuthill, has announced a scholarship program in memory of her daughter, Peyton, murdered in

The Peyton Tuthill Foundation, non-profit, 501(c)3, in memory of Peyton Tuthill, daughter of Pat Tuthill of Florida, will be giving 4 - $1000 college scholarships to children who have been left behind by homicide. Applications may be downloaded from the web site at www.peytontuthill.org and are currently being accepted.