A network to support for crime victims of crime and to prompt changes in the criminal justice system is coming to Michigan.
The Alliance for Safety and Justice plans to open offices in Michigan next year.
Robert Rooks is the Vice President of the group. He said the best way to know what changes are needed is to listen to people who are the most impacted by the problem.
“Do crime survivors get healing from telling their stories? Absolutely. Will crime survivors make important connections and make important networks as a result? Absolutely. But the goal of the website is to facilitate the stories elevating the voices and changing policy”.
Rooks said in California the group helped pass laws to reallocate state dollars away from incarcerating people and into expanding trauma recovery centers for victims.
“California made that change and those people were served in the community for less. And the savings from that was re-allocated for trauma recovery programs. We believe there is a lot of waste in the justice system that we haven't been prioritizing victims first”.
Rooks said he urge victims to share their stories online. The website is available now.
On the web:
https://cssj.org/