Sample Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                  CONTACT:  (Name)
(Date)                                                 (A/C-Telephone #)

"Victims' Rights: Right for America, and Right for (City/County/State)"

     (City/State) -- The time-honored tradition of National Crime Victims' Rights Week is
scheduled for April 19 to 25, 1998.  This special commemoration encompasses the theme,
"Victims' Rights: Right for America," and will be observed by thousands of victim service and
allied professional organizations and agencies across the United States.
     What's right about America is also right for our nation: determination, commitment, and
the belief that justice for all means justice for victims of crime -- young and old, urban and rural,
and diverse by race, religion and gender.  The determination and commitment of victims and
those who serve them have reaped impressive results since the victims' rights discipline began in
America over a quarter century ago: nearly 30,000 state and federal laws have been passed that
protect and enforce victims' rights, including constitutional amendments for victims' rights in 29
states; there are over 10,000 non-profit and justice system-based programs that provide support
and services to victims of crime; and a federal constitutional amendment that would provide
consistency to victims in our most hallowed document -- the U.S. Constitution -- is currently
pending in Congress.
     Yet according to (spokesperson), victims' rights are mirrored by the countless victims
who need, and deserve, support and services.
     "With nearly 37 million criminal victimizations in the United States annually, the need
for improved victims' rights and services has never been greater," (spokesperson) said. 
"Victims continue to seek access and input into our criminal and juvenile justice systems, and
measures 
                                                         -- more --

"Victims' Rights: Right for America, and Right for (City/County/State)"
(Date)
Page Two

that hold offenders accountable for their actions that harm not only their victims, but our entire
community as well."
     Here in (name of city/county/state), numerous activities have been planned to recognize
victims of crime in our (community/county/state) Included are: (cite examples of special events). 
     Reginald L. Robinson, Acting Director of the Office for Victims of Crime within the
U.S. Department of Justice, encourages people across our nation to join his agency in saluting
the many accomplishments of America's victims, advocates and justice professionals.
     "During National Crime Victims' Rights Week, we can send a strong message that
services for crime victims, offender accountability, and community safety are priorities for our
entire nation," Robinson noted. "It's an important opportunity to honor those who bring honor to
victims of crime, and make victims' rights right for America."
     For additional information about 1998 National Crime Victims' Rights Week, please
contact (name), (title) of (agency/organization) at (area code/telephone number), or visit (name
of agency's) web site at (web site address).
                               END


Type your press release double-spaced.  If your press release is more than one page, type 
"-- more --" in the bottom right corner, and paper clip the second page to the first page.  Add the title
and date of the press release, plus "page two", in the top left corner of the second page.