HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Pennsylvania Governor Edward G.

Rendell has announced that Lynn G. Shiner, program manager for the Victims

Compensation Program in the Office of Victims' Services of the Pennsylvania

Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), has been awarded the Crime

Victim Service Award by U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft.

   

The award, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice

Program's Office for Victims of Crime coincided with the 24th annual National

Crime Victims Rights Week, celebrated nationwide by crime victims, survivors,

and those who serve them. It is also the 20th anniversary of the passage of

the Victims of Crime Act, which in established the Crime Victims Fund to

provide support for victim services through fines and fees levied against

federal offenders.

   

"Serving the needs of crime victims is an honorable and meaningful

calling, and Ms. Shiner does it well," Rendell said. "She is rare

leader who sets aside her personal challenges in an unwavering commitment to

make the world safer for children and families. Today, I not only join in

recognition of the achievements of Lynn and her co-workers at PCCD, but also

in recognition of Crime Victims Rights Week in Pennsylvania and across this

nation.  Let us not lose sight of our mutual goals to make communities safer,

support crime victims in their struggles to heal, and commemorate the crime

victims, survivors and those who serve them."

   

This year, 13 award recipients from across the United States convened in

Washington, D.C., to receive recognition from Ashcroft.

   

Shiner has been working with crime victims since . She worked with

the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Widener

University School of Law to design a bill that protects children whose parents

are involved in child custody cases. In , Pennsylvania legislators passed

Act 199, named the "Jen and Dave Law," which gives parents access to

information via a telephone line about criminal charges that have been levied

against the other parent. The information can be used in custody decisions.

   

That same year, Shiner was appointed to serve on the newly created

Victims' Services Advisory Committee where she focused on the Pennsylvania

Crime Victim Compensation Program.  Soon, she was named manager of the

compensation program has worked at PCCD to eliminate a claims backlog,

streamline and simplify the claims process, and increase the number of

compensation claims filed with the office to a record of 547 during the month

of March -- the highest number of claims for one month in victim

compensation's 28-year history.

   

"Lynn is an inspirational, yet humble leader," said PCCD chairman

Walter M. Phillips. "Despite her desire to stay behind the scenes of

this enormous effort, Lynn's leadership shines through.  Her activism and her

skills have brought about significant changes for victims in Pennsylvania and

nationwide. Widely respected among her colleagues, we are truly fortunate to

have her here at PCCD setting a high standard for treating victims of crime

with dignity and respect."

 

Source: Pennsylvania Office of the Governor