Jacksonville commemorates Victims' Rights Week

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Family members of missing and killed loved ones gathered with Mayor Alvin Brown at City Hall on Monday in observance of the 30th annual National Crime Victims' Rights Week.

Anne Dugger, executive director of the Justice Coalition, said this year's national theme is "Restoring the Balance of Justice" and vows the coalition will continue shining light on the needs of crime victims and their families.

Also at the gathering was State Attorney Angela Corey, who said she will continue to aggressively prosecute those who break the law.

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"As long as I'm the State Attorney, we're never going to stop working with law enforcement to fight for these people and for everybody in this community because when we fight for our victims we're fighting to make this a better community," Corey said.

Ron Davis, the father of Jordan Davis who was fatally shot in November 2012, expressed the tragedy of learning about his son's death.

"What happens to you is you're stunned," said Davis. "You sit on your couch and you cannot believe its happening to you, but it is. So you need people along the way to help you -- to guide you through this."

Jordan Davis was shot by Brevard County software engineer Michael Dunn while parked at a gas station with three friends. Dunn was convicted on three counts of second-degree attempted murder, but the murder charge for the killing of Davis was declared a mistrial.

Some of the services the city of Jacksonville provides victims include the Victim Services Center, where trained specialists help in the aftermath of crime with both the emotional and legal fallout of a crime.

For victims of domestic violence, the Intimate Violence Enhanced Services Team also provides several free services. The team intervenes in the potentially most lethal domestic violence cases.

There's also an app to help called VINEmobile and lets victims say informed 24 hours a day. You can register to get notified when an inmate is released, transferred or dies while in custody.

Click for more information on special services