National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month

The month of December brings many holiday celebrations that often include alcohol. Consequently, December tends to produce more than average intoxicated drivers carelessly sharing our roads.

In an effort to spread public awareness, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and several other agencies have named December "National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month," a campaign created to educate the community about the seriousness of driving under the influence of substances and its devastating consequences.

Every time we drive, we are unfortunately faced with the possibility of falling victim to an impaired driver’s rash mistake. According to NHTSA, three out of every ten Americans will be involved in a motor vehicle accident involving drunk driving during their lives. Accidents related to drunk and drugged driving claim the lives of thousands of Americans every year and have become one of the deadliest crimes in America today. Impaired drivers continue to roam our streets and put the lives of our family and friends at risk.

In response, CalVCP has joined the campaign to spread public awareness. As an agency dedicated to assisting victims of crimes, we would like you to know that victims of drunk and drugged driving accidents are able to receive compensation through our program. CalVCP has helped 809 drunk and drugged driving victims and paid an estimated $2.8 million since January 2010. Our claimants received compensation that covered mental health treatment, income and support loss, medical bills, funeral costs, and rehabilitation.

CalVCP is committed to creating healthier communities and we would like to offer you ways to fight back against drunk and drugged driving. The NHTSA has provided tips for those hosting or attending holiday parties:

• Include a reminder about selecting a designated driver in your invitation.
• If you are going to serve alcohol, be certain to offer guests non-alcoholic drinks as well.
• Ensure that all guests leave with a sober driver; if necessary, call a taxi for a guest or even take their keys. Remember, “Friends don’t let friends drink and drive."
• Dial 911 if you see any suspicious drivers.

Please play your part this year in spreading awareness of drunk and drugged driving. And remember, don’t let drunk and drugged driving prevention be a seasonal concern; our communities should work together to help prevent these tragedies all year long.

Protecting Crime Victims for the Long Haul

By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

Earlier this year, Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 898, a bill that will help California continue to provide necessary funds to victims of violent crime and help them with the high costs associated with those crimes. This new legislation increases minimum fines placed on offenders for felonies and misdemeanors for the first time in nearly 20 years. The last time minimum fines were increased to protect crime victims who had suffered out-of-pocket expenses was 17 years ago, in 1994. At that time, gasoline was just over $1.00 per gallon, and a gallon of milk was $2.88. Today, those prices have more than tripled and doubled. You can imagine how the cost of medical treatment has risen since then. The California Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP) relies heavily on these fines to take care of the needs of California’s crime victims. This is why an increase, along with imposing and collecting restitution, is more important than ever. Restitution does more than impose a fine; it holds the offender accountable and helps with the healing process for the victim. Increasing fines to be sure the program can meet the needs of victims for years to come is paying respect to the victims and their families who often endure a lifetime of struggle.

CalVCP covers horrific crimes such as domestic violence, child abuse, sexual and physical assault, homicide, robbery, drunk driving, and vehicular manslaughter. In Fiscal Year 2010/11, the program paid out nearly $96 million to victims. This year, we anticipate the costs to be even higher. We help the victims through those fines paid by criminal offenders, not tax-payer dollars.

As we know, the California Victim Compensation Program is the last hope for many crime victims. With offenders paying more, we can be there to help.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

It is far too often that I learn of yet another domestic dispute that tragically advances into domestic violence (DV). While many reports do not show an increase in the number of DV cases, many California studies are showing an increase in the level of violence in reported cases.

Domestic violence, often referred to as intimate partner violence (IPV), occurs between two people in a close relationship and includes current and former spouses and dating partners. It can be a single episode of violence to ongoing battering and includes physical violence, sexual violence, threats and emotional abuse. The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control of the Division of Violence Prevention reports the following unsettling statistics:

• Each year, 4.8 million women fall prey to intimate partner related physical assaults and rapes.
• Each year, 2.9 million men fall prey to intimate partner related physical assaults.
• IPV resulted in 2,340 deaths in 2007. Of these deaths, 70% were females and 30% were males.

Here at CalVCP, we understand that when tragedy strikes, it can be a frightening and traumatic experience that often includes physical, emotional, or financial harm. Many victims have questions about whom they can trust and where they can go for help. When it comes to financial assistance, CalVCP may provide needed compensation to help cover treatment and other support services for victims and their families. It is imperative that victims and their loved ones know that CalVCP can help.

Just last year, our program helped nearly 14,000 domestic violence victims pay for expenses related to their crime. CalVCP provided more than $18.5 million in reimbursement costs last year covering mental health treatment, medical bills, relocation fees, income and support loss, funeral and dental expenses for those inflicted by domestic violence.

CalVCP stands firm in our commitment to do all that we can to help. During October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, many will be doing their part to raise awareness and provide tangible resources for victims. Let us encourage our friends, families and neighbors to report intimate partner violence when it is suspected.

If you suspect someone is in danger please direct them to the National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), 1-800-787-3224 TTY, or www.ndvh.org.

There is hope. CalVCP can help.

Parents of Murdered Children — National Day of Remembrance

By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

September 25th marked the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims, a day set aside each year to honor the lives of loved ones taken by violence. Once again, the local Sacramento Chapter of “Parents of Murdered Children” (POMC), in coordination with chapters around the nation, held a special ceremony to remember and pay honor to the sons, daughters and other family members that have been taken away all too soon.

I was privileged to be one of the selected speakers at this year’s POMC event on the north steps of the State Capitol. When I addressed the supporters and families, I conveyed that CalVCP is committed more than ever to helping parents recover from such tragedy. For many, the road to healing is long and arduous and now is a time when victims need our help the most, as well as our support. We understand that and provide mental health treatment, funeral and burial expenses, lost wages and much more for those who have no other means.

There were several other speakers on this day, including: Sean Laird, Sacramento Deputy District Attorney; Ahmale Dorsey, Victim Advocate; and Mindi Russell, Senior Chaplain, Sacramento Law Enforcement. All were on hand to share their thoughts and provide support to grieving parents and family members and be part of this community of victims and survivors.

Sadly, 38 percent of the victims that we help are under 18 years of age. And last year, 31 applications for assistance came to us from a parent or guardian who lost a child to violence. Every day, I see how important it is that we have this service for the thousands of families who have nowhere else to turn. We are continuing to work with our sister agencies to provide the necessary resources and care for these victims and their families. By doing this, we can ensure that Californians have somewhere to turn when the inconceivable happens.

As a united front, we shall always remember and honor all those who have become victims of murder and all those families who lost so much.

The Long Road to Recovery

By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

Last month the LAPD announced that they had made arrests in the case of the brutal beating of Bryan Stow, the San Francisco Giants fan who was assaulted in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium on March 31st of this year. Two men, believed to be responsible for the assault on Mr. Stow, that left him with severe brain injuries, were taken into custody and charged with mayhem, assault and battery.

Despite the progress toward bringing Mr. Stow’s alleged attackers to justice, the true emotional and physical cost to Mr. Stow and his family can never be fully measured. This story, although unique in terms of the public interest it has attracted, is like so many other stories of victims of violent crime, entailing great financial toll and a long struggle for recovery. In the five months since the attack, Mr. Stow remains hospitalized and battling very serious injuries.

News headlines seldom follow the personal aftermath of violent crime and the long road to recovery faced by victims. Once the tragedy is out of sight, we tend to forget about the burden victims are left to carry. Even more sobering, we know that for each story that we hear about in the media, there are literally thousands of other violent crimes in California, some which go completely unnoticed in the public eye. Whether we hear their stories or not, these are all victims who may travel this path without knowing where to turn, in order to find the support they need.

Though no one can ever erase another’s suffering and struggles, we can work together to make sure victims of crime receive assistance with the bills they can’t pay. At CalVCP, we work with victims to connect them with victim advocates and get them compensation for expenses incurred as the result of a violent crime.

For these victims, CalVCP assistance may be a critical step in the recovery process. We will continue our mission to provide the best service possible to all victims of crime and never forget the struggles they suffer and the long road to recovery they must endure.

The Cost of Drunk Driving

By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

The statistics are absolutely staggering. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), alcohol-impaired driving is the most frequently committed violent crime in the U.S. It is truly devastating that every minute, one person is injured from an alcohol-related crash. NHTSA reports that one in three people will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lifetime and that, on average, someone is killed by a drunk driver every 50 minutes.

In California alone, the most recent Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) report shows that nearly 210,000 DUI arrests were made in 2009. In that same year, there were nearly 1,300 alcohol-involved fatalities in the state. Fortunately, CalVCP is here to help victims of drunk driving. Over the last two years, CalVCP has assisted nearly 3,000 DUI victims and survivors and paid nearly $6.5 million to help these victims. CalVCP provided financial reimbursement for dental care, income and support loss, medical bills, mental health treatment, rehabilitation, relocation, funeral and burial expenses.

CalVCP also works closely with organizations that provide critical services that make a difference in the lives of California violent crime victims. As one of the largest victim service organizations in the U.S., Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is one such nonprofit we proudly partner with and support. CalVCP has been diligent to provide training to their victim advocates on CalVCP assistance to victims of drunk driving, promote events such as Walk Like MADD, and participate in their Annual Candlelight Vigil of Remembrance and Hope.

There is hope to this tragic epidemic; drunk driving and its consequences can be prevented. Education and advocacy will help lower California DUI rates. I thank individuals and organizations like MADD who are taking action to make our communities safer.

A Victim’s Survival: Lessons for Us All

By Julie Nauman, VCGCB Executive Officer

I was moved and inspired when I watched, along with 14.8 million other viewers, Jaycee Dugard’s first televised interview since being rescued in August 2009. Jaycee opened up about her experiences at the hands of her captors and explained she did what she had to do “to survive.”

As we all listened to this brave young woman recount the horrifying details of her 18-year ordeal, what kept resonating was the strength and courage demonstrated by both Jaycee and her mother. It gave us all a glimpse of what victims go through before, during and after a crime.

As victim advocates, we recognize the long-term impact a crime like this has on an entire family. Brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, children and even in-laws share the consequences, to some degree. Jaycee mentioned the lasting impact a crime has on the family, not just her family, all families.

While Jaycee’s story has gained worldwide attention, there are other countless victims enduring horrific circumstances on a daily basis, but you will never see their faces, or hear their names on the news. They deserve to have their voices heard too.

Jaycee understands this and has started her own organization called the JayC Foundation. The organization’s mission is to “provide support and services to ensure the timely treatment of families that are recovering from abduction and the aftermath of other traumatic experiences.” Despite what happened to her, she is determined to change the future for the other countless victims out there.

We all have much to learn from Jaycee’s story on so many levels. To move forward is to never give up hope, no matter how dire things may appear. It also reminds us to reach out and do something when we see something that isn’t quite right.

Jaycee is truly an inspiration to us all and a remarkable example of how one little girl can have such an enormous impact on other victims, advocates and the general public.

Like many others who have been following this story, I wish Jaycee and her family much success in their continued recovery.