April 1, 2025
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Roberta Roper, founder of the Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center
(MCVRC), is speaking out against HB 853, a bill she believes would have devastating consequences
for crime victims. Ms. Roper, whose personal tragedy and loss of her daughter, Stephanie Roper, led
to a lifelong fight for victims’ rights, is calling on all state attorneys to join her in opposing this
legislation, which she contends could lead to an increase in violent crime and further traumatize
homicide victims and their families.
In 1982, Roberta and Vince Roper’s daughter, Stephanie, was brutally murdered just days before her
college graduation. During their grieving process, the Ropers encountered a criminal justice system
that offered no support or rights for victims. Excluded from the courtroom and ignored by the judicial
system, the Ropers formed the Stephanie Roper Committee to advocate for victims’ rights. This effort
evolved into the Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center (MCVRC), which has played a key role in
establishing over 100 victim-rights laws in Maryland, including Article 47 of the Maryland
Constitution, which ensures that crime victims are treated with dignity, respect, and sensitivity during
all phases of the criminal justice process.
Now, over 40 years later, Roberta Roper is once again standing up for victims, opposing HB 853, a
bill that will jeopardize public safety and further undermine the rights of crime victims. The bill
would expand the provisions of the Juvenile Restoration Act which releasing murderers and other
violent offenders after serving twenty years of their sentences regardless of their actual sentences.
These early releases already have been linked to several recent tragedies, including two violent
murders of women, an armed robbery, and a first-degree arson attempt. Roper’s concerns are
grounded in her decades of experience advocating for victims’ rights, as well as data she has obtained
through Maryland’s Public Information Act, showing concerning recidivism rates for individuals
released under the Juvenile Restoration Act.
“I have been a part of this process since 1982, and I have never seen legislation with the potential to
cause more harm to crime victims than HB 853,” said Roberta Roper. “This bill puts public safety at
risk and could result in more murders, more suffering, and more victims. We cannot stand by and
allow this to happen.”
Ms. Roper’s advocacy is not just about one piece of legislation, it is about protecting the lives of
Maryland residents and ensuring that victims’ voices are heard. She is calling for a thorough review of
recidivism rates and urges legislators to wait for a scientific analysis before pushing HB 853 forward.
“I am 87 years old, and while I’m tired of fighting in Annapolis, I will not stop until this bill is
stopped,” Roper said. “I ask every state attorney to join me in opposing this dangerous legislation and
to protect the victims of Maryland from further harm.”
Contact Info:
Casey Rosil, Communications and Media Specialist
crosil@mdcrimevictims.org