[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 15 (Monday, April 17, 2000)]
[Pages 787-788]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
 Proclamation 7290--National Crime Victims' Rights Week, 2000

 April 10, 2000

 By the President of the United States

 of America

 A Proclamation

     This week marks the 20th anniversary of National Crime Victims' 
Rights Week. Over the past two decades, we have made enormous progress 
in our efforts to build safer communities and to reshape our criminal 
justice system so that it better protects victims' rights and responds 
more compassionately to their needs.
     In the 7 years since I first proclaimed National Crime Victims' 
Rights Week, my Administration has worked hard to achieve some of the 
most progressive criminal justice reforms in our Nation's history. 
Recognizing the urgent plea from millions of Americans to restore safety 
and security to their neighborhoods, in 1994 I signed into law the 
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which funds 100,000 
additional police officers to fight crime and protect our citizens. In 
Federal court cases, this law also gives victims of violent crime and 
sexual abuse the right to speak out in court before sentencing, 
providing them the opportunity to describe the impact such victimization 
has had on their lives. To help protect our communities from gun 
violence, we enacted the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, 
requiring background checks for potential handgun purchasers. Since its 
passage, more than 500,000 attempted gun purchases by felons, fugitives, 
and other prohibited persons have been prevented, saving an untold 
number of lives. And we worked to pass the assault weapons ban to keep 
these deadly firearms off our streets.
    We also fought to pass the Violence Against Women Act, which 
addresses the complex dynamics of gender-motivated violence and seeks to 
ensure justice for women who live in daily fear for their safety and 
often for their lives. By providing support services for victims of 
domestic violence and sexual assault and empowering prosecutors with new 
tools to target offenders, we have sent a clear message that our society 
will not tolerate violence against women.
     Thanks to the concerted efforts of crime victims' advocates, many 
of whom are survivors themselves, government at all levels is focused on 
ensuring victims' rights. Today, all States have enacted laws 
safeguarding crime victims' rights in the criminal justice process, and 
32 States have amended their constitutions accordingly.
     Despite this progress, millions of Americans still fall prey to 
criminals each year. In the past year alone, gun violence alone has 
taken an enormous toll across our Nation. To address this, my 
Administration has proposed the 21st Century Policing Initiative to 
provide 50,000 more police officers for our streets, requested more 
funding for our Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative to reduce 
school and youth violence, and put forth the largest national gun 
enforcement initiative in our Nation's history. I continue to call on 
the Congress to strengthen our Nation's hate crime laws and to pass 
commonsense gun legislation to keep guns out of the wrong hands; and we 
should pass the Victims' Rights Amendment to the Constitution.
     Criminal victimization is at its lowest level in 25 years, but we 
can do more. As we observe National Crime Victims' Rights Week, as we 
near the fifth anniversary of the tragic bombing in Oklahoma City and 
the first anniversary of the shooting at Columbine High School, let us 
vow to continue working together to prevent crime and violence. Let us 
also pledge to honor the needs and rights of victims whose lives have 
been forever altered by crime. And let us recognize the courage and 
determination of the thousands of men and women across our country who 
dedicate themselves daily to the protection of victims' rights.
     Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton,  President of the United 
States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the 
Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 9 
to April 15, 2000, as National Crime Victims' Rights Week. I urge all 
Americans to remember crime victims and their families by working to 
reduce violence, to assist those harmed by crime, and to make our 
communities and

[[Page 788]]

homes safer places in which to live and raise our families.
     In Witness Whereof,  I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of 
April, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of 
the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth.
                                            William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., April 12, 
2000]

 Note:  This proclamation was published in the Federal Register on April 
13.