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DPSCS Hosting Multiple Events For National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

National Crime Victims TOWSON, MD —With a primary mission of protecting the public, its employees, and the inmates and detainees in its care, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services also places high importance on another, sometimes forgotten group of people: victims.  DPSCS has a Victim Services Unit, and many employees throughout all levels of the system whose main job is to keep crime victims notified of their offenders’ cases and provide services to those victims.

During the week of April 6-12, DPSCS will have many events across Maryland. Here is a summary of events:

Sunday, 4/6

  • DPSCS participates in victims’ memorial services across the state
  • Maryland Correctional Institution-Hagerstown Lifers Group kicks off week-long victim awareness events with special speakers

Monday, 4/7

  • “Healing Garden” display of paper plates with “Food For Thought” messages about victims presented by female detainees at Baltimore City Detention Center
  • MCI-H:  victim Peter O’Neal, whose mother was murdered, speaks to inmates
  • Food For Thought paper plates displaying message done by inmates and offenders will be displayed throughout DPSCS Community Supervision offices statewide
  • Cumberland (WCI) inmates make quilts for a local shelter
  • Frederick office of Drinking Driver Monitor Program collects items for Heartly House

Tuesday, 4/8

  • North Branch Correctional Institution (Cumberland) hosts guest speaker and displays Food For Thought plates
  • WCI (Cumberland) inmates donate quilts to local shelter and host victim speaker
  • MCI-H (Hagerstown) hosts Miguel Vela, whose DWI crash killed a teenager and left him permanently disabled
  • MD Correctional Training Center (Hagerstown) employees donate to a domestic violence shelter, and inmates will display Food For Thought paper plate messages on victimization
  • Roxbury Correctional Institution (Hagerstown) inmates donate artwork to  Conflict Resolution Center

Wednesday, April 9

  • Cambridge and Easton Community Supervision offices have Victims’ Rights Week proclamations read at city and county council meetings
  • DPSCS Victim Services Unit donates items to Safehouse for Hope
  • MCI-H (Hagerstown) hosts victim panel speaking to more than 125 inmates; inmates will hand over 150 inmate-made shoulder bags to be filled with donations for various charities

Thursday, April 10

  • MD Correctional Institution for Women (Jessup) hosts speaker on human trafficking and inmates make donation to Arden House of YWCA
  • MCI-H (Hagerstown) hosts victim speaker
  • Annapolis Community Supervision office donates toiletries to Chrysalis House

Friday, April 11

  • Community Supervision office at Hargrove Courthouse in Brooklyn hosts domestic violence speakers
  • MCI-H (Hagerstown) closing ceremony
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