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| The
Maryland Crime
Victims' Resource
Center was originally
named the Stephanie
Roper Committee
and Foundation
in honor of Stephanie
Roper, above. |
|
Why
We Are Here:
The History
of the Maryland Crime
Victims Resource Center
On April 3, 1982, Stephanie
Roper became an innocent
victim of crime in Maryland.
She was a college senior
about to graduate from
Frostburg State University,
home for a weekend visit
with with her family
in Prince George's County.
After leaving her friend's
home, her car became
disabled. Two men, Jack
Ronald Jones and Jerry
Beatty, came upon and
kidnapped her, and over
a five-hour period, brutally
raped, tortured, and
murdered Stephanie.
Friends and neighbors
who had known and loved
Stephanie found it impossible
to do nothing. Frustration
and anger were diverted
into acts of love toward
Stephanie's family.
A small group was formed
to help them through
the funeral and subsequent
criminal trial, the Stephanie
Roper Family Assistance
Committee. In October
1982, the group incorporated
as the Stephanie Roper
Committee and Foundation,
Inc.
Guided by the cause,
Stephanie's memory, and
the leadership of Stephanie's
parents, Vince and Roberta
Roper, volunteers came
forward to form the staff.
Goals and priorities
were set, chapters were
formed, space was donated,
and the first office
opened.
Twenty years later,
in the Fall of 2002,
the sister organizations
bearing Stephanie's name
merged to become the
Maryland Crime Victims'
Resource Center, Inc.,
a statewide non-profit
organization dedicated
to serving the interests
of crime victims in Maryland,
while maintaining a nationwide
reputation for dedicated
advocacy and services.
Today, the MCVRC serves
Maryland's victims from
two offices, in Prince
George's County and in
Baltimore City, and has
diversified its services
to include criminal justice
education, court accompaniment,
therapeutic counseling,
support groups, community
education, prevention
education, legal information
and assistance, direct
legal representation,
policy advocacy, technical
assistance for allied
professionals and criminal
justice agencies, and
faith-based referrals.
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