2 May 2005

Annual Crime Victims’ Rights Conference to be held this week
Governor Sebelius and Attorney General Kline to keynote Wichita event

Governor Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Phill Kline will be keynote speakers at the 2005 Annual Crime Victims’ Rights Conference. The conference is being held May 4-5, 2005, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel & Convention Center in Wichita.

Professionals who work with crime victims and survivors on a daily basis will deliver presentations during the event, which highlights innovative efforts to assist crime victims across the state and nation.

“Victims of crime have already suffered one loss. We must work to ensure that their rights are protected so that they don’t suffer a second loss after the fact. This conference will help victims and their advocates return to their communities with fresh ideas for protecting victims and their rights,” Governor Sebelius said.

This year’s conference will offer 33 workshops and six keynote presentations. The presentations and speakers include:

A panel of victims/survivors moderated by Debi Holcomb, victim services director for the Kansas Department of Corrections;

Wendy Hamilton, national president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD);

Matt Markon, program attorney for the Stalking Resource Center at the National Center for Victims of Crime;

Vicki Trembly, trainer and owner of Cranial Aerobics in Topeka, Kansas.

Roger Werholtz, secretary of the Kansas Department of Corrections;

Julie Whitman, program director at the National Center for Victims of Crime,

The conference is being held in recognition of the 25th Anniversary of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year the conference and national theme is “Justice Isn’t Served Until Crime Victims Are.”

The goal of the conference is to highlight victims’ needs for justice and for comprehensive and seamless services to help them cope in the aftermath of crime, as well as for the right to be treated with dignity and compassion by the criminal and juvenile justice systems.

Governor Sebelius speaks on Wednesday, May 4, at 8:30 a.m., and Attorney General Kline speaks on Thursday, May 5, at 11:30 a.m.