Perry Signs Bill To Transfer State Institute to SHSU
Sam Houston State faculty and students will begin
working under the Texas Crime Victims' Institute beginning Sept. 1 after Gov.
Rick Perry gave his final approval of Senate Bill 1245 on June 20.
"The Legislature realizes that Sam Houston State University is a great
asset to the state," said Rep. Lois W. Kolkorst (R-Brenham), who sponsored
the bill. "This bill will hopefully take the study of victim issues to the
next level."
The bill, written by Sen. Ken Armbrister (D-Victoria) and Sen. Steve Ogden
(R-College Station), transferred the duties and funding of the institute
from the State Attorney General's Office to the university.
"The transfer of the victim's institute to SHSU is a major accomplishment.
That's how the Criminal Justice Center was initiated, through a bill worked
through the legislature, and this one is just like that," said Jim Marquart,
SHSU criminal justice professor and director of SHSU's National Institute
of Victim Studies."
The institute will work closely with a 16-member advisory council, comprised
of the attorney general, a state representative, a state senator and other
governor appointees, who will help provide potential research topics.
"If you have the AG on the advisory board, a state senator and a state
legislator, those are influential people," Marquart said. "There are also
crime victims advocates and people like that on it who have a lot of influence
in the crime victims movement within the state of Texas."
Marquart said he would like the institute to conduct a crime victimization
poll within the state.
"We want to ascertain how many people are victimized and the process of
victimization," he said. "We want to find out what happens: are they re-victimized
then by the criminal justice system and the long-term aspects of victimization:
how long does it take before they get up and get back in the swing of things?
Most crimes are property, but we would like to improve our understanding
of the victimization of people from violent crimes."
The university will receive about $290,000 in funding for the first year
and about $310,000 for the second year. Funding for the TCVI comes directly
out of the Crime Victims' Compensation Fund, which funds about a dozen programs
and is tied to the Attorney General's Office, according to Marquart.
The purpose of the TCVI is to fully examine crime victim issues in Texas,
the results of which are to inform legislators and influence policy on the
issues.
"It's a wonderful opportunity for SHSU to enhance its reputation throughout
the state," Marquart said.
Because SHSU is the only university in the nation to offer a bachelor's
degree in victims studies, this transfer also may benefit SHSU in other ways.
"We may be able to increase the undergraduate enrollment because we have
a victims study degree, and by getting the word out, we hope the program
will grow," he said.
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SHSU Media Contact: Jennifer Gauntt
July 28, 2003
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