In recognition of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2025, members of Morris County law enforcement joined leaders of the law enforcement and the victim advocate community for a conference on April 9, 2025.
Marking its 44th year, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is intended to raise awareness of victims' rights and services, highlighting programs, celebrating progress achieved, and honoring victims, the professionals, and agencies who serve them. The theme this year is “Kinship, Connecting & Healing.”
This year’s theme of Kinship is a call to action to recognize that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime. Kinship is a state of being with survivors that drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. Kinship is where victim advocacy begins.
In keeping with this theme, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Victim/Witness Advocate team launched a campaign to educate the public about support services available to them. The MCPO designed informative bookmarks, and in partnership with the Main Library Alliance, provided them for distribution at libraries throughout Morris County. Libraries often act as safe spaces for many people who may not otherwise have one.
The conference was held in the Commissioners Meeting Room in the Records and Administration Building.
During the conference, the Board of Commissioners also presented a Commendation in tribute to the late Sandra McGowan, in recognition of her life-long contributions to victim advocacy. Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen presented the commendation on behalf of the board.
The event featured guest speakers Senator Anthony Bucco, Morris County Sheriff James Gannon, Florham Park Police Chief and Vice President of the Morris County Police Chief’s Association Joseph Orlando, and Executive Director of Deirdre’s House Maria Vinci Savettiere, Esq.
Prosecutor Carroll said, “This year’s theme asks all of us – friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, community leaders, victim service providers, criminal justice practitioners, and health professionals – how can we connect with victims who are often dealing with the worst day of their lives? How can we help to lessen their trauma and distress while also honoring the dual duty of assisting victims to help law enforcement to bring the evil-doer or predator who caused the pain, to justice? This critically important service takes dedicated victim witness professionals to tirelessly bridge those duties to help crime victims through such challenges. Everyone who comes in contact with a person who has been victimized becomes a part of their story. It is vital that we treat victims with respect and dignity. A sense of community and connection is an important component in providing a support net.
I’d like to recognize our community partners who serve Morris County, including Deirdre’s House, Morris Family Justice Center, Hope Hub, Community Connections, JBWS – Safety, Support & Solutions for Abuse, Center for Evaluation and Counseling (CEC), Morris County Sexual Assault Center, NewBridge Counseling, Victims of Crime Compensation Office, Prevention is Key's Special Project CARES, Legal Services of Northwest Jersey, Audrey Hepburn’s Children’s House – Regional Diagnostic Center, and the and the Morris County Chapter of the NAACP.
Today, we also honor the late Sandra McGowan, for her lifetime of dedicated service as a victim witness professional. Her compassion and unwavering support guided victims through the legal process, and who’s tenacity earned her the respect of judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys alike. She served on the board of directors for the National Organization of Victim Assistance (NOVA), played a pivotal role in establishing Deirdre’s House in 1996, and was a part of the coalition responsible for the amendment to the state constitution establishing guaranteed rights for crime victims, approved by voters in 1991.”
To learn more about support services and resources that are available, visit the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Facebook page.
Photos are available at
this link.
