Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 103 Part 3.djvu/940

 103 STAT. 3008 PROCLAMATION 5953—APR. 12, 1989 I salute these individuals and the numerous organizations across the country that help to coordinate their activities. My Administration is committed to promoting their efforts and encouraging others to join them—that is why I have established an Office of National Service at the White House, and that is why I personally urge every American to follow their fine example. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, 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 the week of April 9 through April 15, 1989, as National Volunteer Week. I ask all Ameri- cans to join in saluting and thanking our Nation's volimteers, as well as the organizations that support their efforts. I also encourage every American to take part in appropriate events and activities in observ- ance of National Volunteer Week and in celebration of all that volim- teers do for our country throughout the year. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirteenth. GEORGE BUSH Editorial note: For the President's remarks of Apr. 10, 1989, on signing Proclamation 5952, see the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents (vol. 25, p. 513). Proclamation 5953 of April2, 1989 Crime Victims Week, 1989 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation A crime is more than a violation of the law; in every case it is the vio- lation of the rights, property, person or trust of another human being. Justice, therefore, must mean more than a fair trial for the accused criminal and an appropriate sentence for the guilty. Justice also re- quires that the rights and losses of the innocent victim be duly vindi- cated. For too long, our criminal justice system focused on the rights of of- fenders and paid little or no attention to the rights and needs of those victims who suffered physically, emotionally, and financially. However, the 1982 President's "Task Force on Victims of Crime focused national attention on the numerous inequities in the system. Since then, the Fed- eral Government has been working hard with the States to encourage the development and expansion of programs for crime victims. Last Oc- tober, the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, which established a Crime Vic- tims Fund in the U.S. Treasury that is financed by penalty assessments on all convicted Federal defendants, was reauthorized for 6 more years. Cooperative efforts at all levels of government will continue in order to improve responsiveness to the needs of crime victims.

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