Presidential Documents

20051

Federal Register

Vol. 63, No. 77

Wednesday, April 22, 1998

Title 3—

The President

Proclamation 7084 of April 20, 1998

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, 1998

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Every day, thousands of Americans become victims of crime. Many suffer

physical injury, and most experience emotional scars that may never fully

heal. And all victims of crime, and their families and friends, often remain

troubled by feelings of vulnerability and concerned about their personal

safety.

Five years ago, my Administration made a commitment to take back our

streets from criminals and to combat the crime and violence that affects

so many Americans. With the Crime Act, the Brady Act, the Violence Against

Women Act, and other tough legislation, we have put into action a comprehensive anticrime strategy that includes community policing, antigang

programs, and strong penalties for criminals.

Our strategy is working. Crime rates across the country are at a 25-year

low. Violent crimes and property crimes have decreased, and the murder

rate is down dramatically. While we can take pride in this progress, we

cannot afford to become complacent. We must build on the anticrime programs we have put into place if we are to win the war against crime.

As part of our continuing efforts, this year the Department of Justice is

awarding more than $135 million in grants under the Violence Against

Women program to help State and local authorities reduce domestic violence,

stalking, and sexual assault. These funds will enable communities to train

more police, hire prosecutors, and provide assistance to the victims of such

crimes. Earlier this month, after thorough study, the Secretary of the Treasury

concluded that we should ban more than 50 kinds of modified assault

weapons because they accept large-capacity military magazines. By keeping

these weapons off our streets and out of the hands of criminals, we will

take another crucial step toward halting the scourge of gun violence that

has taken such a tragic toll on America’s children and families.

During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we call to mind those whose

lives have been so abruptly and often violently changed. This annual observance is also a powerful reminder of the extraordinary capacity of our citizens

to face adversity and overcome it. Across America, victims of crime have

refused to become victims of a criminal justice system that too often ignores

or compromises their rights while protecting the rights of criminals.

With courage and determination, crime victims and their dedicated advocates

have succeeded in winning constitutional amendments in 29 States that

guarantee such fundamental rights as protection from further harm, which

includes keeping victims and accused criminals in separate rooms during

court proceedings; the right of victims to call upon law enforcement if

they feel they are being harassed or intimidated in connection with a pending

case; and the right to be notified of a convicted criminal’s release from

incarceration. And after decades of advocacy, a proposed Federal constitutional amendment for victims now lies before the Congress. We have the

opportunity—and the responsibility—to amend the United States Constitution

to ensure that the rights of victims are honored in every court throughout

our Nation.
20052 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 77 /Wednesday, April 22, 1998 / Presidential Documents

This year, our observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week coincides

with the anniversary of the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal

Building in Oklahoma City. That tragedy brought home to an entire Nation

the extraordinary suffering and grief that can be rendered by a single, senseless, criminal act. In remembering the many victims of this brutal crime,

let us pledge to sustain our efforts to reduce violent crime, to provide

comfort and support to its victims as they strive to rebuild their lives,

and to keep victims’ rights a primary concern in America’s criminal justice

system.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States

of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution

and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 19 through April

25, 1998, as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. I urge all Americans

to remember crime victims and their families by working to reduce violence,

to assist those harmed by crime, and to make our homes and communities

safer places in which to live and raise our families.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day

of April, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-eight, and

of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred

[FR Doc. 98–10931

Filed 4–21–98; 11:13 am]

Billing code 3195–01–P

and twenty-second.

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