2003 National Crime Victims' Rights Week
Award Recipients

The honorees received special recognition during the awards ceremony hosted April 12, 2003, by the Office for Victims of Crime to honor victim advocates, organizations, and programs in the field of victim services. To view more details, click on any photo for an enlarged view.

Federal Service Award

Group photo of U.S. Attorney's Victim Witness Program staff from the District of Arizona, accompanied by John Gillis and Deborah Daniels.

The combined efforts of the Victim Witness Program staff in the District of Arizona has resulted in enhanced services to federal crime victims and improved victim notification. In 2002, the Victim Witness staff handled approximately 500 cases with 2,613 victims and provided 3,104 victim notifications. With 75 percent of the state of Arizona under federal jurisdiction, the U.S. Attorney's Office is responsible for prosecuting the majority of violent crimes in the state, including those that occur in the national parks, national forests, and on Arizona's 21 Indian reservations. The 370 miles of border between Arizona and Mexico also create unique challenges and responsibilities for the Victim Witness staff. These large geographic areas require victim contact either by telephone or by traveling long distances to provide personal notification to victims who otherwise would go unserved. Staff are also responsible for public education, public awareness, and technical assistance surrounding victims' issues, particularly as it relates to crime in Indian country, violence against women, and child protection. The Victim Witness staff handled a notable case involving a mother who killed three of her six children in January 2002. The Victim Witness staff intervened with family members on the scene. In preparation for the trial, the staff traveled 100 miles to Prescott, Arizona, and interviewed 35 witnesses for pretrial conferences and testimony preparation.

The individuals in the group photograph for the 2003 Federal Service Award are as follows, from left to right: Deborah Daniels, Dori Arter, Mary-Anne Estrada, Jennifer Westenhaver, Betti Delrow (holding award), Marlene Beall, Susan Butler, Eydie Robertson, Marc Tetzlaff, and John Gillis.

Crime Victims Fund Award

Group photo of the Financial Litigation Unit staff from the District of Arizona, accompanied by John Gillis and Deborah Daniels. Not included in photograph, Jacque Slade

In 2002, the District of Arizona's Financial Litigation Unit (FLU) lost two agents of its already understaffed five-person unit within a 2-month period. The three remaining agents were left with approximately 1,000 cases each. These agents prioritized caseloads, triaged critical tasks, and put in many hours of overtime to respond to victim cases. In one large mail theft ring case, the agents spent long hours with Victim Witness Coordinators, prosecutors, and court clerks to ensure that the large number of victims were properly accounted for and that restitution payments would be fairly distributed. Through the unit's exceptional determination and hard work, they collected more than $3.5 million in fines and restitution for crime victims in fiscal year 2002.

The individuals in the group photograph for the 2003 Crime Victims Fund Award are as follows, from left to right: Deborah Daniels, Gloria Linsenbach, Amy Phillips-Penquite, Genie Miskell (holding award), Susan L. Smith, Vicki Williams-Potter, and John Gillis.

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