Morris County Observes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2026

Published on April 23, 2026

National Victims’ Rights Advocate Fred Guttenberg Delivered Keynote Address

Morris County joined Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, law enforcement and community leaders this week to observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, reaffirming the county’s commitment to supporting victims and their families.

The annual ceremony, hosted by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office of Victim Witness Advocacy unit at the Administration and Records Building in Morristown, featured remarks from Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, was killed in the 2018 Parkland school shooting. Guttenberg became a leading voice for victims, a nationally recognized activist and an author after a 19-year-old gunman took the lives of his daughter and 16 other people, along with injuring 17 in that deadly Florida attack.

“There are a lot of factors that went into that day, but the reality that my daughter’s death was the result of a troubled teenage boy who was able to get his hands on an AR-15 ignited something in me that started all the years of activism to follow,” said Guttenberg. “All I want to do is lower the gun violence death rate in America. I want to lower the instances of gun violence. And when gun violence does happen, I want it to be less lethal.”

Guttenberg has been moving across the country and working with policymakers to reduce gun violence and advance public safety. In addition to the loss of his daughter on Feb. 14, 2018, his brother, Michael, died months earlier from pancreatic cancer linked to his service at Ground Zero following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

He is the author of “Find the Helpers: What 9/11 and Parkland Taught Me About Recovery, Purpose, and Hope” and “American Carnage: Shattering the Myths That Fuel Gun Violence.”

View More Photos from the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Ceremony

Commissioner Director Stephen H. Shaw presented a proclamation to Prosecutor Carroll on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners, officially declaring April 19 – April 25, 2026 “National Crime Victims’ Rights Week” in Morris County.

“Here in Morris County, we have seen how personal loss can shape meaningful change,” said Director Shaw. “After the tragic murder of his daughter in 1982, Jim O’Brien chose to channel his grief into helping others. He advocated for victims to be treated with dignity, to be kept informed and to have a voice throughout the justice process. Partly because of efforts like his, New Jersey finally adopted a state Constitutional Amendment for Victim's Rights in 1991. Today we reaffirm our commitment to defending the hard-fought rights of crime victims.”

A Mendham Township resident, O’Brien later served five years on the Morris County Board of Freeholders and was appointed commissioner of the New Jersey Victim’s Rights Compensation Board by former Gov. Christie Todd Whitman, where he served until 2001. He and his wife, Georgia, helped establish Deirdre’s House in Morristown, named in memory of their daughter. O’Brien died in 2014 at age 84.

The program included remarks from Prosecutor Carroll and was attended by Sheriff James M. Gannon, state legislators including Assemblywomen Aura Dunn and Marisa Sweeney, as well as local law enforcement and community partners, including Maria Vinci Savettiere, executive director of Deirdre’s House. O’Brien’s son, James, and his wife, were also present at the ceremony.

“This year’s theme of ‘Listen. Act. Advocate: Protect victims, serve communities’ reflects a victim-centered approach to justice that prioritizes dignity, safety and empowerment. Advocacy ensures victims are informed, supported and represented throughout the legal system. Protection emphasizes trauma-informed care. Serving communities means building trust and creating systems where victims feel respected and supported,” said Prosecutor Carroll.

“The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office places great importance in seeking justice for victims, and the Victim Witness Unit works to support victims by helping them understand their rights, guide them during the criminal justice process and help them connect to services,” he continued.

In conjunction with this year’s observance, the Prosecutor’s Office also highlighted its third annual public awareness initiative, distributing informational bookmarks in partnership with the Main Library Alliance to promote available resources throughout the county.

A commemorative wreath honoring victims was placed beside the victims’ tree outside the Administration and Records Building, which is illuminated annually during the observance as a symbol of remembrance and hope. Following the ceremony, Deirdre’s House hosted an open house with lunch for attendees, continuing its mission to provide comprehensive services to child victims of abuse in a safe and supportive environment.

The Morris County Office of Victim Witness Advocacy, established in 1982, continues to provide critical support services, including advocacy, case information and referrals, to individuals impacted by crime.

Now in its 45th year, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week has been observed annually since 1981 to promote victims’ rights and services while recognizing progress in advancing programs and policies that support crime survivors. The 2026 theme emphasizes action and advocacy while advancing efforts to remove barriers to justice and improve victim services.

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Photo 1: Author and activist Fred Guttenberg, father of Jaime Guttenberg who was 14 when she was killed in the Parkland school shooting on Feb. 14, 2018, in Florida. The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office marked National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2026 with a ceremony and address by Guttenberg on April 22, 2026.

Photo 2: (front, l-r) Assemblywoman Aura K. Dunn; MCPO First Assistant Prosecutor Maggie Calderwood; MCPO Victim Witness Advocate Grace Stackhouse; MCPO Victim Witness Supervisor Amanda Holloway; Fred Guttenberg; MCPO Victim Witness Advocate Jaclyn Villone; MCPO Victim Witness Coordinator Donna Pasquariello; Erin Snyder, Director of the Office of Victim Support and Assistance at the N.J. Division of Violence, Intervention and Victim Assistance and Laura Luciano, Deputy Executive Director of the N.J. Division of Violence, Intervention and Victim Assistance. (back, l-r) Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll; MCPO Deputy Chief of Detectives Jan-Michael Monrad; Commissioner Director Stephen H. Shaw (beside wreathe); wife of James O’Brien, Jr.; James O’Brien, Jr.; and MCPO Chief of Detectives Robert McNally.

Photo 3: Morris County Commissioner Director Stephen H. Shaw presents a proclamation to Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll for Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Morris County Prosecutor’s Office marks Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2026 with a ceremony and address by Fred Guttenberg, father of Jaime Guttenberg, who was 14 when she was killed in the Parkland school shooting on Feb. 14, 2018, in Florida.