Warren to hold DUI victim impact panels

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Dan Gage
  • 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs
F. E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  As part of Crime Victim's Rights Week, Warren will hold two driving under the influence victims' impact panels April 18th in the base theater.

Warren members are asked to attend one of the two panels being held at 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. to hear stories and view presentations on the impact that drunken driving accidents have on their victims.

"Since April hosts Crime Victim's Rights Week, we were presented with the question of how to give victims a voice," said Bonnie Scotto, 90th Missile Wing Victim and Witness Assistance Program coordinator. "How do we bring light to victim issues while touching on something that affects our population? DUIs are the answer."

Warren will host two Wyoming residents as speakers at the event. Justin Smart, from Rawlins will address those in attendance along with retired Col. Sam Powell, former director and 34 year veteran of the Wyoming Highway Department.

Though this will be the first panel of its kind held on base recently, the panels have been held in Cheyenne for the past 17 years, according to Fernando Murquiz, President of the Laramie County DUI Victim Impact Council.

"The panel we hold every other month is held in the Laramie County Community College, and anyone who has been convicted of a DUI in the circuit court is required to attend," Murquiz said.

"When we hold the panels at LCCC, we try to convince people to change behaviors which caused them to be convicted of DUI offenses," Murquiz added. "We're trying to be more preventative with this event; we're trying to reach out to people before they even come to that situation."

Warren's DUI victim impact panel will be a step towards reaching a larger audience, according to Murquiz.

"When we began this program, we were going out after the fact trying to change past behaviors," Murquiz added. "Within the last five years, we've decided we were going to do a more proactive and preventative program. We do driver's education classes, high school programs and community events, but the last part of the community we hadn't reached out to was the base.

"We've been pushing for this type of relationship with the base and it's very exciting for us to be able to reach out to such a large number of young people and try to reduce the numbers of DUIs," Murquiz said.

For more information on Crime Victims Rights Week or the DUI Victim Impact Panels contact Bonnie Scotto at 773-6052.