Looking at crime and victimization head-on
May 21, 2018
Child abduction, sexual assault, murder: These are things most of us don’t want to think about. And the idea of these and other crimes happening in our own communities can make our minds recoil. Fortunately, there are passionate people in our state who devote their lives to thinking about – and, more importantly, doing something about – violence, crime and victimization.
For 30 years, the Minnesota Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has gathered crime victims, victim service providers and advocates, law enforcement, court and corrections personnel, and other professionals who deal with crime and victim issues together for their annual Conference on Crime and Victimization. The goal is to give participants the ability to provide higher-quality services to crime victims and the knowledge of other resources available to them.
The advantage to having so many different crime and victimization fields represented is that it encourages a multidisciplinary approach to breaking the cycle of violence, crime, and victimization. Every year at the conference, 300-400 participants learn about research models, programs and ideas that they can successfully put into practice in their own communities.
This year’s conference will take place May 22-24 and will feature over 40 presenters. Claudia Bayliff, a nationally recognized expert on issues regarding sexual assault and violence against women, will open the conference with an address about how language helps shape our response to sexual violence.
Another highlight will be Jared Schiel and Patty Wetterling. Danny Heinrich abducted, sexually assaulted, and released Jared when he was 12. Ten months later, Heinrich did the same to Patty’s son Jacob—only, as you know, Jacob never came home. But partly because of Jared’s direct involvement with the case 27 years later, Heinrich was convicted after admitting to abducting and killing Jacob.
Resmaa Menakem, an author, healer and trauma specialist, will deliver the final keynote address. Menakem works with communities and law enforcement officers (among others) on the subjects of leadership, race, trauma, and culture.
By striking a balance between listening, learning and teaching, the OJP Conference on Crime and Victimization inspires and empowers its participants. They can then go back into their own communities to tackle the tough questions about crime and victimization head-on.
