STOCKTON, Calif. — With the smell of barbecue smoke in the air and colorful balloons decorating tables and tents, victims of crimes were connected to resources and offered a meal Friday at the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office.
The resource fair and barbecue in downtown Stockton were the culmination of the District Attorney's Office's commemoration of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
"This week is National Crime Victims' Rights week across the nation where we honor and acknowledge each and every victim and survivor throughout the United States. But here in the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office, we do that every day," San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber-Salazar said. "We wanted to bring all of our resources together so that anybody in need or anybody wanting to learn about the resources can come downtown, to our building, and see all the incredible work that goes on every day."
On hand at the three-hour event were representatives from organizations offering support for crime victims and survivors. A barbecue held during the event raised funds for the Victims of Violent Crimes Support Group.
Some of the support offered by the organizations include counseling, financial reimbursements, relocation help and legal services.
Letecia Galvan, a crime survivor who founded the Luis G. Alvarez Jr. Rewards for Justice organization knows the experience of pain and confusion that some families may feel in the days following a violent crime.
Galvan said it was important to be at the fair Friday to show and familiarize others with the number of resources that are available for crime victims.
"It's really easy if you know and if they give you the resources, where to go. Victim Witness is a great resource here in San Joaquin County. We just go to them, they help us out in everything," Galvan said.
Galvan's son was killed during a shooting in Lodi six years ago. She says the lack of a substantial reward for information in the case led her to start her group which raises funds to offer larger rewards for information on various criminal cases in northern California.
"The reward was up to $1,000. We didn't think that was enough," Galvan said. "After everything was said and done- the funeral and all, we decided that we needed to do an organization to help get a higher reward. We believe that with a higher reward, people will come forward."
In Galvan's case, an arrest was made a year after the killing. However, she says that is not always the case for others, which is why she decided to start working with the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office to help other families that are in the position she once was.
"We have been down in Sacramento, both Letecia and I, fighting for more resources for Victim Witness programs, as well as for our survivors," Verber-Salazar said. "There's lost wages, maybe you no longer feel secure in the housing that you're in, there's funeral costs or medical bills associated with it, and of course, counseling, which can be expensive."
In 2021, the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office estimated they helped nearly 20,000 victims of crimes. Verber-Salazar says there is still more work to do and more people to help.
"We need to continue to invest here in California, in those services for our survivors," Verber-Salazar said. "When you become a victim of a crime, your life changes both physically, emotionally and mentally."
Organizations offering resources for crime victims in San Joaquin County:
- Adult Protective Service
- Attorney General’s Office Victim Services
- Child Abuse Prevention Council
- Child Protective Service
- Department of Child Support Services
- El Concilio
- San Joaquin County Family Justice Center
- San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office
- Stockton Police Department Chaplains
- Victims of Violent Crime Support Group
- Women’s Center- Youth and Family Services
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