Community Mediation Services announces the release of CRIME SURVIVORS GUIDEBOOK (2nd Ed.) & WEBSITE
Written by a survivor, the Crime Survivors Guidebook walks those affected by violence through the New Orleans legal system.
New Orleans, [November 7, 2019] – On December 10, 2019, Human Rights Day, Community Mediation Services will release an update of the Crime Survivors Guidebook: Coping with the aftermath of violence in New Orleans – a comprehensive guide to legal and community resources in Greater New Orleans for survivors of violence. The book, which addresses survivor rights, emotional repercussions and grim practicalities like funerals and inheritance, will be simultaneously launched as a website whose URL will be revealed at the opening. The website is crucial because it will allow information to be updated in an ongoing manner, making certain that those who have experienced a crime always have access to accurate, current information.
The updated guidebook and new website will be launched at a coffee reception at New Orleans Cake Café, 2440 Chartres Street (in the Marigny), New Orleans, on Tuesday, December 10, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. The public is invited; RSVP is needed.
The guide comes out of the personal experience of the author, Rose Preston. On September 3, 2003, Preston’s husband and mother-in-law were murdered and their home burned. Overwhelmed and stunned, she was still forced to deal with the confusing criminal justice system as she struggled to come to terms with the crime. As she learned the system, she swore that she would write a comprehensive guide to make sure others in her situation never felt like they were going it alone.
“Going through this experience, feeling so scrambled, I wanted to make a difference for others in similar circumstances, to illuminate helpful paths and possible solutions in their darkest hour,” says Preston. “When something like this happens, people not only feel alone and confused, they can also feel ostracized. I wanted to make sure those who were afraid to ask for guidance, or didn’t know where to turn for help, had this assistance.”
The Crime Survivors Guide is free. The 2019 edition will be available at New Orleans police headquarters, district stations, through activist groups that work with crime survivors, the DA office, courts, and the Mayor’s office, after the December 10 launch.
For more information about the Crime Survivors Guidebook, or to RSVP, please email crimesurvivorsnola@gmail.com. For interviews with author Rose Preston, please call her directly at (504) 261-8328.
About Community Mediation Services
Community Mediation Services, Inc. (CMS), a non-profit organization in New Orleans, was founded in 1994 to help youth, adults and families resolve conflicts through peaceful, non-adjudicative, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes. Since our inception, we have successfully resolved conflicts without litigation and improved relationships in a variety of contexts such as schools, families, neighborhoods, and the workplace.
About the Shawn M. Donnelley Center for Nonprofit Communications
The Shawn M. Donnelley Center for Nonprofit Communications is a student-run agency that offers real-world experience in many realms of public relations, including media relations, social media, graphic design, videography, photography, event planning, copy editing, project management, strategic planning and more, by working with local nonprofits to create integrated communications solutions.