Good afternoon, and welcome to the Attorney General’s 2008 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Awards Ceremony. It is wonderful to see such a large crowd and many familiar faces. Many of you also joined us at last night’s moving candlelight ceremony where we heard from our keynote speaker, Dominick Dunne. Mr. Dunne could not be with us for today’s ceremony, but I would like to again thank him for his participation last evening. We were privileged to have him join us.

It’s an honor to have Attorney General Michael Mukasey join us for today’s events. We are fortunate to have a President and an Attorney General whose leadership has allowed us to advance rights for all crime victims.

We are also honored to have the Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs, Jeffrey Sedgwick with us today. In addition to his role as Acting Assistant Attorney General, Jeff continues to serve as the Director of OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics. As such, he well understands the plight of crime victims throughout our nation and we are grateful for his leadership and support.

I’d also like to recognize Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen who is with us today. Governor Bredesen is here in support of his wife Andrea Conte, one of our esteemed award recipients.

I’d like to acknowledge my colleagues in the Justice Department and those representing other Federal agencies who are with us today. Thank you for your unstinting efforts to advance crime victims’ rights and provide services to our nation’s crime victims. I’d also like to recognize the Members of Congress who are here today to honor the 2008 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Award recipients – thank you for all you have done to advance rights and services for crime victims.

Also, I’d like to take a moment to recognize the heads of all the victim service organizations here today. Thank you for your steadfast and tireless work on behalf of crime victims.

I must also thank the 3rd U.S. Infantry of the Old Guard Color Guard for today’s presentation of colors, and a special thank you to the Urban Nation HIP-HOP Choir whose beautiful voices add splendor to today‘s ceremony.

Clearly it takes the dedicated efforts of many to organize these prelude events for National Crime Victims’ Rights Week which officially begins this coming Sunday. Three years ago we moved our events back one week so that we would not be in conflict with activities taking place in the states. My thanks also goes to the hard working staff of the Office for Victims of Crime as well as the dedicated staff from Courtesy Associates, who collectively have made this an event worthy of all of you here today. OVC also received great support from the Office of Communications at the Office of Justice Programs and those efforts are much appreciated.

Last but certainly not least, I want to thank my wife Patsy, who has never wavered in her support of me and the crime victims’ field, sometimes during very difficult times. Patsy, I could not have done this without you by my side.

This year is a landmark year for the crime victims’ field as we celebrate the Silver Anniversary of the passage of the Victims of Crime Act, and the establishment of the Crime Victims Fund. This past year for the first time ever, the Crime Victims Fund’s deposits surpassed 1 billion dollars, providing critical resources and support for crime victims in this country as well as to those who are victims of terrorism abroad.

It has also been 26 years since the Federal Witness Protection Act of 1982 became law — the first time “fair treatment standards” were afforded to victims and witnesses in the federal criminal justice system. This act served as a catalyst to states across the nation to pass legislation to protect victims of crime. Over time, a multitude of other initiatives have been, and continue to be implemented, to bring greater awareness of victims’ rights and needs. I am especially proud to relate that as a result of the 2004 landmark Crime Victims’ Rights Act, federal victims now have specific rights — including the right to protection, the right to be informed, the right to attend, the right to confer, the right to restitution, the right to a speedy trial, the right to be treated with fairness, and the right to be heard. This Act also ensured that there are now mechanisms at the federal level to enforce these rights for federal victims of crime. But we now need an Amendment to the U. S. Constitution so that every victim, in every state, is guaranteed the same rights as federal victims of crime. We cannot have “Justice for Victims. Justice for All.“ without an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Before I introduce our first speaker, I would like to take a moment to say what an honor it has been to lead the Office for Victims of Crime for the past 7 years. Since this will be my last awards ceremony as the Director of OVC, I would like to publicly acknowledge my staff at OVC. They are incredibly dedicated to and passionate about their work, and it has been a privilege to work with them for the cause of advancing crime victims’ rights and services. I would also like to recognize the outstanding work of the OVC staff. Please give them a round of applause!

But my work to advance crime victims’ rights will not end when I leave the Department.

Thank you all for coming this afternoon. This concludes our ceremony. At this time I’d like to invite our choir to honor us with one final song.”