HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, Violent crime affects the lives of millions of

 1-2     Texans each year, often causing grave physical, financial, and

 1-3     emotional harm to victims and their families; and

 1-4           WHEREAS, While a great deal of effort has been expended to

 1-5     ensure that crime suspects are treated fairly, the criminal justice

 1-6     system historically has placed too little emphasis on the needs and

 1-7     rights of victims and witnesses to violent crime; and

 1-8           WHEREAS, Although great strides have been made in sensitizing

 1-9     police departments and the courts to the special needs of crime

1-10     victims and witnesses, reports of crime victims experiencing harsh

1-11     and unresponsive treatment by the criminal justice system continue

1-12     to trouble a significant number of Texans; and

1-13           WHEREAS, Many dedicated professionals and volunteers in our

1-14     state currently are working to secure rights and services for all

1-15     crime victims and witnesses and to ensure that the legal systems of

1-16     the State of Texas and the United States are responsive to the

1-17     needs of the innocent as well as the guilty; and

1-18           WHEREAS, It is crucial that all citizens be fully aware of

1-19     their legal rights and the full range of services available to

1-20     crime victims; this educational effort and the critical services

1-21     available to crime victims are supported by a number of

1-22     organizations, including the Citizens for Concerns of Police

1-23     Survivors, the Office of the Mayor of Houston, Justice For All,

1-24     Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Parents of Murdered Children, People

 2-1     Against Violent Crime, Save Our Children From Abuse and Neglect,

 2-2     the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault, the Texas Council on

 2-3     Family Violence, the Texas District and County Attorneys

 2-4     Association, the Texas Crime Victim Clearinghouse, the Travis

 2-5     County Sheriff's Department, the Office of the Attorney

 2-6     General--Crime Victims' Compensation Division and Crime Victims'

 2-7     Institute, the Office of the Governor--Criminal Justice Division,

 2-8     the Texas Youth Commission, the Texas Juvenile Probation

 2-9     Commission, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice--Victim

2-10     Services Office and Community Justice Assistance Division, and the

2-11     Texas Board of Criminal Justice; and

2-12           WHEREAS, All victims of crime in Texas and our nation deserve

2-13     to be treated with dignity, compassion, and justice, and it is

2-14     entirely fitting that the Texas Legislature lend its full support

2-15     to placing greater emphasis on the needs and rights of crime

2-16     victims in every jurisdiction of this state; now, therefore, be it

2-17           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

2-18     hereby commend the many dedicated professionals and volunteers who

2-19     are working to secure rights and services for the victims of crime

2-20     and declare that February 19, 1997, be designated Crime Victims

2-21     Day.

                                                                       Allen

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.C.R. No. 88 was adopted by the House on

         February 19, 1997, by a non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.C.R. No. 88 was adopted by the Senate on

         February 19, 1997, by a viva-voce vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor