“The Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center provides FREE legal representation and advocacy services for victims of all types of crimes” is written on the center of the screen when a person visits their website. With the emphasis on free, this resource center works as a non-profit to provide resources and support for victims of crimes. This has proven to be a long and hard journey but one that each member of the organization finds to be worthwhile.
Born out of frustration in a system that did not include victims, Roberta Roper works to provide the system with a way forward. In 1982, her daughter, Stephanie Roper, became a crime victim her senior year of college when she visited home for a weekend and was kidnapped, raped, and murdered. During the case and trial period, Roberta and her family found themselves continually excluded and kept in the dark on the status of the case. One of the most important problems Roberta found was that she was unable to make a victim impact statement and speak to the pain this has caused her family. This led to the creation of the Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center for the purpose of advocating and supporting victims.
Roberta Roper, Founder and Secretary, Kurt Wolfgang, Executive Director, and Patricia Mitchell, former District and Court of Maryland Judge and American University Adjunct Professor, joined the class COMM-437 and Students for a Just Society to speak on their work and the importance of including crime victims in the conversation. They spoke of their legislative efforts which included passing the historical Maryland Constitutional Amendment that allows the victims the right to submit a victim impact statement. They have lobbied for legislative change and can be accredited to the creation of mandatory victim impact statements that have been implemented across the nation.
Roberta Roper and Kurt Wolfgang stressed the MCVRC’s need for fundraising. This year, they are pushing for federal funding as the services they provide to the Maryland community are free of charge. With more funding, their staff would be able to represent more victims and provide assistance to a group that has been largely underrepresented.
Their main goal is to help as many crime victims as they can. The most important action we can take is to share their information and support their work.
To access a victim advocate, call 301-952-0063 or 1-877-VICTIM-1 and if you know anyone you believe could benefit from these services, please provide them MCVRC’s information.
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