Event held at Bayfield County Courthouse to deliver improved outcomes for victims
WASHBURN, Wis. – Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Justice and Bayfield County District Attorney Kimberly Lawton earlier this week to examine how crime victims move through the local criminal justice process and to identify opportunities for improvement of victim service delivery.
Leading the exercise were Nela Kalpic, State Director for Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin; Miriam Falk, Wisconsin DOJ Assistant Attorney General; and Ann Kesenich, Crime Victims’ Rights Board Operations Director and Policy Initiatives Advisor. Stakeholders from the Bayfield County criminal justice system and local victim service organizations worked together to “map” the journey of a crime victim – from the initial law enforcement call through post-conviction proceedings.
At each “touch point” of the criminal justice process, attendees explored how victims interact with various agencies and services since the implementation of Marsy’s Law in 2020. The exercise incorporated examples of hypothetical sexual assault and domestic violence cases, allowing participants to better understand what victims experience in real time and where additional improvements could be made to strengthen rights and services.
“Ensuring crime victims are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve is a top priority for me and my office,” said Kimberly Lawton, Bayfield County District Attorney. “This mapping exercise gave us an opportunity to better understand how crime victims move through our local criminal justice process and how all of us who interact with victims can be best positioned to help survivors access their rights and the services available to them.”
“Since its ratification five years ago, Marsy’s Law continues to serve victims through Wisconsin, however, there are always areas of improvement,” said Nela Kalpic, Marsy’s Law for Wisconsin State Director. “By reflecting on the journey victims take, we can identify new ways to ensure that rights are upheld and survivors are treated with dignity at every stage of the justice process.”
Media Note: For media who wish to receive additional information or interviews with participants, please contact Madelyn Hughes at mh@platform-communications.com.
