The Inland Empire Crime Blog

RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, April 15, 2008: District Attorney Rod Pacheco received the Governor’s 2008 Crime Victim Advocacy Award for exceptional contributions to the support and service of victims of violent crime. The awards were presented today by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at a ceremony in Sacramento.

“I am deeply honored to receive this award on behalf of crime victims throughout Riverside County and the great state of California whose voices deserve to be heard and never forgotten,” said District Attorney Rod Pacheco.

District Attorney Pacheco was honored for providing outstanding service to crime victims. Pacheco was nominated by Palm Springs Police Chief David Dominguez for, “his commitment to providing outstanding service to victims of crime and families and friends who have suffered the tragic loss of a loved one by homicide.”

Victim Services Advocate Marilyn Baldwin was also honored as one of the first victim advocates in California to travel to inmate hearings to assist and support victims at parole hearings.

The awards coincide with other local, state and national events this week to commemorate National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office is hosting a week long series of events including a Victims’ Rights March, Candlelight Vigils, and a Guardians of Justice Luncheon.

The week kicked off with three candlelight vigils on Monday at the Temecula Community Center in Temecula, on Tuesday at Palm Desert Civic Park in Palm Desert and on Wednesday at the Historic Courthouse in Riverside. The candlelight vigils begin at 7:00 p.m.

On Thursday, thousands are expected to join together for a Victims Rights’ March from the Riverside County Administrative Center to the Historic Courthouse. District Attorney Rod Pacheco, Sheriff Stan Sniff, and Police Chief Russ Leach will address the crowd along with special guests Kim Goldman, Mark Klaas, Erin Runnion, Michael Reynolds, Linda Soubirous, Christine Ward, former NFL linebacker Chris Claiborne, and Susan Fisher from Governor Schwarzenegger’s office. The march begins at 11:30 a.m.

The week closes with a Guardians of Justice Luncheon on Friday at noon at the Riverside Convention Center. The event will pay tribute to crime victims and survivors and honor service providers, law enforcement professionals, and community leaders for their united efforts in strengthening justice.

In addition to the Victims’ Rights Week events, District Attorney Pacheco has implemented new programs so that crime victims continue to have a voice in the criminal justice system. The Victims’ Rights Project was launched in August, 2007 to ease the burden to crime victims by helping them to understand and obtain their rights.

For additional information about National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, please contact the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office at (951) 955-5400 or visit www.rivcoda.org.