Georgia State Professor Awarded Grant to help Give Homicide Victims’ Families Answers after Tragedy

Families of homicide victims have limitless questions after their loved one is gone — questions about what happened, which are often hard to get answers to as court cases wind their way through the legal system.

Georgia State University’s Elizabeth Beck and the Georgia Council on Restorative Justice have sought to help answer those questions, by helping to give victims’ families access to information from the defense — which often is the only party that has answers.

Now, thanks to a $656,000 grant from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Administration, Beck and her colleagues hope to create a model to bring the concept, called Defense Initiated Victim Outreach, to other locales, like Texas. The federal grant furthers the GCRJ’s work, which stems from funding from the Justice, Equality, Human Dignity and Tolerance Foundation.

“After a homicide, the victim’s families often have a lot of questions, and sometimes, the only people with the information that can answer the questions are the defense,” said Beck, an associate professor of social work in Georgia State’s College of Health and Human Sciences. “We work with defense attorneys, and the prosecution, so that victim-survivors can have access to information that can help to answer their questions.”

A key principle of Defense Initiated Victim Outreach, or DIVO, is that victim-survivors should be provided with as much information about the crime, the case and the process, without compromising due process for defendants.

Trained Victim Outreach Specialists work with the defense and victims’ families to help provide this information, and to help reduce the potential of additional emotional trauma — which can happen during testimony, cross-examination or other parts of the process.

For more information about the Georgia Council for Restorative Justice, visit www.gcrj.org.

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Atlanta Braves Foundation Awards Nearly $90,000 in Grants to Local Non-Profit Organizations

The Atlanta Braves Foundation awarded grants totaling $87,000 to the following non-profit organizations prior to Friday's Braves game vs. the New York Mets: Atlanta Community Food Bank, Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, Atlanta Track Club, Canine Companions for Independence, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Cobb Christmas, Inc., East Lake Foundation, Latin American Association, L.E.A.D., Inc., Metro Atlanta Project, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Ga., North Metro Miracle League, READing Paws, Inc., Star Struck Foundation, The Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc., The Ron Clark Academy, Tomorrow's Champions, Villages at Carver Family YMCA, and YES! Atlanta.

The Atlanta Braves Foundation grants funds to youth-serving organizations that focus on health, education, and recreation; that have sound financial practices; and whose plans for the requested funds will have a significant impact upon the individuals served by the requesting organization.

Friday night's grant ceremony caps another successful year for the Atlanta Braves Foundation and its community outreach programs. The Foundation was successful in its fundraising efforts in 2008 thanks to the generous support of thousands of fans and community partners. Marquee events and initiatives including the Legacy Brick Paver Program, Atlanta Braves Foundation Weekend and the Third Annual Atlanta Braves Foundation Golf Classic experienced tremendous support and success. Annual fundraisers and ongoing programs including Jerseys Off Our Backs, Brown Bag Bonanza, the 50/50 Raffle and game day silent auctions helped provide additional funds to support the Atlanta Braves Foundation's outreach efforts.

Metro Atlanta youth baseball and softball programs benefited in 2008 from the "Pinch Hitter Grant Fund," an initiative to assist youth baseball and softball organizations in need. The Atlanta Braves Foundation made $12,000 in financial contributions to 12 organizations to help provide relief for lost or stolen equipment, damaged facilities, and uniform shortages.

The Atlanta Braves Foundation is the non-profit arm of the Atlanta Braves that actively supports community organizations and their programs within the metro Atlanta area. Since its inception in 1992, the Atlanta Braves Foundation has provided support to thousands of metro Atlanta based organizations and has contributed more than 2.7 million dollars in financial assistance to the community. Through the generous support of Braves players, employees, sponsors and fans, the Atlanta Braves Foundation continuously strives to improve the quality of life for our youth.

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