SENATE RESOLUTION

                             1999-8671

By Senators Costa, Winsley, McCaslin, Thibaudeau, West, Heavey, Benton, Long, Fairley, Rasmussen, McAuliffe, Kohl-Welles, Brown, Gardner, Haugen, Eide, Kline, Shin, Bauer, B. Sheldon, Snyder, Spanel, Rossi, Roach, Sellar, Deccio, Oke, Hale, Fraser, Horn, Swecker, McDonald, Johnson, Prentice, Stevens, Honeyford, Hochstatter, Morton, Jacobsen, Wojahn, Finkbeiner, Goings and Sheahan

     WHEREAS, April 25-May 1 is National Crime Victims= Rights Week; and

     WHEREAS, This event began twenty-three years ago in Philadelphia to remember crime victims; and

     WHEREAS, It has since spread throughout the country in an effort to increase the public=s awareness and support of crime victims= rights and services; and

     WHEREAS, This need is apparent as a violent crime is committed in America every nineteen seconds and seventy percent of homicides involve firearms; and

     WHEREAS, In 1997, more than 18,000 people were murdered in the United States, including two hundred forty-four murders in Washington committed with weapons; and

     WHEREAS, The highest percentage of murder victims in Washington are young adults, ages eighteen through twenty-four; and

     WHEREAS, It is estimated that one woman is battered every nine seconds in the United States and 1.3 adult women are raped every minute; and

     WHEREAS, While the number of reported rapes in Washington has decreased since 1992, nearly 3,000 rapes occurred in 1997; and

     WHEREAS, Law-abiding citizens are no less deserving of justice, rights, resources, restoration, and rehabilitation than the violent offenders who harm them; and

     WHEREAS, The week=s theme, AVictims= Voices -- Silent No More, reflects the power generated when crime victims and their advocates speak out against crime victimization; and

     WHEREAS, Crime does not concentrate in one specific area; it encompasses rape, murder, robbery, burglary, theft, violence, stalking, domestic violence, child abuse, and vehicular assault; and

     WHEREAS, As a nation devoted to liberty and justice for all, America must increase its efforts to protect and expand crime victims= rights and services;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate recognize the pain and suffering caused by crime and express its unequivocal support for crime victims nationwide, their family, and their friends.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 1999-8671,

adopted by the Senate April 23, 1999.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate