Crime Victims United History

Crime Victims United - History

Crime Victims United was founded in 1983 by members of Parents of Murdered Children. The founders set out to address deep flaws in Oregon's criminal justice system - flaws which they experienced firsthand in the aftermath of violent crime.

Over the past 20-plus years, Crime Victims United has worked with the Oregon Legislature on laws to protect the rights of crime victims and enhance public safety.

In 1995 we joined partners across the state in crafting Senate Bill 1, which, responding to escalating and out-of-control juvenile crime, totally revamped the juvenile justice system and created the Oregon Youth Authority.

In 1997 we conceived and sponsored Senate Bill 614, which completely revised Oregon's child abuse and murder statutes. In 1997 we sponsored Senate Bill 1049 and in 2002 we sponsored House Bill 2379, which gave judges discretion in certain Measure 11 cases. These are but a few examples from 20 years of working closely with the Oregon Legislature.

In instances where legislative initiatives failed, we have submitted our ideas to Oregon voters. Crime Victims United sponsored or campaigned for Measure 8 in 1984, Measure 10 in 1986, Measures 10, 11 and 17 in 1994, Measures 26 and 40 in 1996, and Measures 69 through 75 in 1999. In 2000 we led the opposition to Measure 94, the initiative to repeal Measure 11.

Members of Crime Victims United have worked with government for two decades to ensure that public safety and the rights of victims receive due consideration. We have served on the Sentencing Guidelines Commission, the Oregon Youth Authority Executive Advisory Board, the Governor's Task Force on Juvenile Crime, the Attorney General's Task Force on Restitution, the Project Safe Neighborhoods Executive Committee, and in many other capacities.

Crime Victims United has also worked with hundreds of individual victims, helping them navigate through the bureaucracy to find justice in the criminal justice system.

In 1997 founders Bob and Dee Dee Kouns retired after devoting 14 years to the organization. Current President Steve Doell joined Crime Victims United in 1993 after witnessing how the criminal justice system dealt with the violent youth who murdered his 12-year old daughter, Lisa Doell.

Crime Victims United Timeline

1980

Valerie McDonald, age 26, the daughter of Bob and Dee Dee Kouns of Portland, Oregon, vanishes from her San Francisco apartment. She is never found. No one is ever charged with a crime. The Kouns join the Portland Chapter of the national organization Parents of Murdered Children.

1983

Bob and Dee Dee Kouns and other members of Parents of Murdered Children found Crime Victims United for the mission of restoring balance to the criminal justice system.

1984

Its members collecting signatures, Crime Victims United puts crime victims' rights on the ballot in the form of Measure 8. With strong opposition from an organization funded by defense lawyers, Measure 8 is defeated by a margin of 52 percent to 48 percent.

1986

Crime Victims United members again hit the streets to collect signatures and put crime victims' rights on the ballot again as Measure 10. Measure 10 passes by a margin of 75 percent to 25 percent and victims' rights become part of state law.

1992

12-year old Lisa Doell is intentionally run down and killed by a 16-year old driver playing out his fantasy to kill a young girl. Eleven jurors vote to convict him of murder but one juror refuses, despite overwhelming evidence. The killer is convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 36 months in prison, of which he will serve 29. Crime Victims United's future president Steve Doell gets involved.

1994

Crime Victims United actively supports Measure 10 (requiring a two-thirds vote of the legislators to change sentences set by the voters), Measure 11 (setting minimum mandatory sentences for violent crimes and serious sex offenses, requiring that juveniles 15 and older be tried as adults for these crimes) and Measure 17 (requiring that prisoners work or participate in school or training). All three measures pass with Measure 11 passing by a 66 percent to 34 percent margin.

1995

Crime Victims United joins with partners across the state in crafting Senate Bill 1, which revamps the juvenile justice system and creates the Oregon Youth Authority.

1996

Crime Victims United founders Bob and Dee Dee Kouns propose Measure 26 which changes the constitutional basis of criminal justice in Oregon. Measure 26 passes by a wide margin.

The rights put into law in 1986 by Measure 10 having been ignored by judges and trampled by criminal defense attorneys, Crime Victims United sponsors Measure 40 which puts a wide range of victims' rights in the Oregon Constitution. Measure 40 passes by a wide margin.

1997

Crime Victims United conceives and sponsors Senate Bill 614, which completely revises Oregon's child abuse and murder statutes.

1997

Crime Victims United sponsors Senate Bill 1049, giving judges discretion to exempt offenders from Measure 11 sentences in certain assault, robbery and kidnapping cases.

1997

After serving for 14 years, Crime Victims United founders Bob and Dee Dee Kouns retire. Steve Doell becomes president of Crime Victims United.

1999

When Measure 40 is overturned on a technicality by the Oregon Supreme Court, the Legislature refers Measures 69 through 75 to the voters to reinstate victims' constitutional rights. After a bitter battle with an organization funded by criminal defense attorneys, Measures 69, 71, 74 and 75 pass while Measures 70, 72 and 73 fail.

1999

The National Organization for Victim Assistance present the Edith Surgan award for the victim or survivor who did the most for crime victims to Bob and Dee Dee Kouns.

2000

Crime Victims United leads the opposition to Measure 94, the measure to repeal Measure 11. Measure 94 is defeated by a margin of 73.5 percent to 26.5 percent.

2002

Crime Victims United sponsors House Bill 2379, which gives judges discretion to exempt offenders from Measure 11 sentences in certain statutory sex cases and in certain cases of Sex Abuse in the First Degree.

2003

Bob and Dee Dee Kouns are honored by the Oregon Department of Justice for their contributions to crime victims and other law abiding Oregonians.

1983 to the present

Crime Victims United helps hundreds of victims navigate the criminal justice system, participates in hundreds of legislative hearings, proposes dozens of legislative bills, appears in countless debates, publishes countless letters and opinion pieces in newspapers, appears on countless radio and television programs, and participates in dozens of committees and commissions on criminal sentencing, juvenile justice, the Oregon Youth Authority, victims' restitution, sex offender registration, crime prevention programs and many other issues.

Roi Holt's Recollections

Roi Holt recently retired from the Oregon Department of Justice. In the early 1980's, Roi helped Bob and Dee Dee Kouns and others lay the foundations of Crime Victims United. Here are Roi's recollections.

My recollections of Bob and Dee Dee Kouns are from the early 1980's when I met them because I was then working for Clackamas County District Attorney's Office as the Director of the Victim Assistance Unit.

One of my first memories is sitting at Peter Glazer's Office, working on by-laws for CVU, with Bob, Dee Dee and Peter. At the time, I remember having a glimmer of this becoming very "big", something that was not going to go away, simply because Bob and Dee Dee projected such confidence in their mission.

Another event that I recall was working the Rose Parade to collect signatures for getting the Crime Victim's Rights bill (Measure 8) on the ballot in 1984 and also collecting signatures for Measure 10 in 1986. I had never done this before, nor had I been to a Rose Parade, and the collection of signatures was far more memorable because not one person turned any of us down when we requested a signature. More people told me "it's about time!" when I explained our purpose. It was such a rewarding experience, because I knew that thousands of people were behind those of us who cared about crime victims' rights.

Thousands of signatures later, and thousands of battles later, the face of victims' rights in Oregon is forever changed because Bob and Dee Dee Kouns turned their personal tragedy into a mission for thousands of unheard victims. Oregon would look very different today, if it were not for them.

Newsletter Article on Crime Victims United and Oregon's Criminal Justice System

Home | Search

contact@crimevictimsunited.org

1980	Valerie McDonald, age 26, the daughter of Bob and Dee Dee Kouns of Portland, Oregon, vanishes from her San Francisco apartment. She is never found. No one is ever charged with a crime. The Kouns join the Portland Chapter of the national organization Parents of Murdered Children.
1983	Bob and Dee Dee Kouns and other members of Parents of Murdered Children found Crime Victims United for the mission of restoring balance to the criminal justice system.
1984	Its members collecting signatures, Crime Victims United puts crime victims' rights on the ballot in the form of Measure 8. With strong opposition from an organization funded by defense lawyers, Measure 8 is defeated by a margin of 52 percent to 48 percent.
1986	Crime Victims United members again hit the streets to collect signatures and put crime victims' rights on the ballot again as Measure 10. Measure 10 passes by a margin of 75 percent to 25 percent and victims' rights become part of state law.
1992	12-year old Lisa Doell is intentionally run down and killed by a 16-year old driver playing out his fantasy to kill a young girl. Eleven jurors vote to convict him of murder but one juror refuses, despite overwhelming evidence. The killer is convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 36 months in prison, of which he will serve 29. Crime Victims United's future president Steve Doell gets involved.
1994	Crime Victims United actively supports Measure 10 (requiring a two-thirds vote of the legislators to change sentences set by the voters), Measure 11 (setting minimum mandatory sentences for violent crimes and serious sex offenses, requiring that juveniles 15 and older be tried as adults for these crimes) and Measure 17 (requiring that prisoners work or participate in school or training). All three measures pass with Measure 11 passing by a 66 percent to 34 percent margin.
1995	Crime Victims United joins with partners across the state in crafting Senate Bill 1, which revamps the juvenile justice system and creates the Oregon Youth Authority.
1996	Crime Victims United founders Bob and Dee Dee Kouns propose Measure 26 which changes the constitutional basis of criminal justice in Oregon. Measure 26 passes by a wide margin. The rights put into law in 1986 by Measure 10 having been ignored by judges and trampled by criminal defense attorneys, Crime Victims United sponsors Measure 40 which puts a wide range of victims' rights in the Oregon Constitution. Measure 40 passes by a wide margin.
1997	Crime Victims United conceives and sponsors Senate Bill 614, which completely revises Oregon's child abuse and murder statutes.
1997	Crime Victims United sponsors Senate Bill 1049, giving judges discretion to exempt offenders from Measure 11 sentences in certain assault, robbery and kidnapping cases.
1997	After serving for 14 years, Crime Victims United founders Bob and Dee Dee Kouns retire. Steve Doell becomes president of Crime Victims United.
1999	When Measure 40 is overturned on a technicality by the Oregon Supreme Court, the Legislature refers Measures 69 through 75 to the voters to reinstate victims' constitutional rights. After a bitter battle with an organization funded by criminal defense attorneys, Measures 69, 71, 74 and 75 pass while Measures 70, 72 and 73 fail.
1999	The National Organization for Victim Assistance present the Edith Surgan award for the victim or survivor who did the most for crime victims to Bob and Dee Dee Kouns.
2000	Crime Victims United leads the opposition to Measure 94, the measure to repeal Measure 11. Measure 94 is defeated by a margin of 73.5 percent to 26.5 percent.
2002	Crime Victims United sponsors House Bill 2379, which gives judges discretion to exempt offenders from Measure 11 sentences in certain statutory sex cases and in certain cases of Sex Abuse in the First Degree.
2003	Bob and Dee Dee Kouns are honored by the Oregon Department of Justice for their contributions to crime victims and other law abiding Oregonians.
1983 to the present	Crime Victims United helps hundreds of victims navigate the criminal justice system, participates in hundreds of legislative hearings, proposes dozens of legislative bills, appears in countless debates, publishes countless letters and opinion pieces in newspapers, appears on countless radio and television programs, and participates in dozens of committees and commissions on criminal sentencing, juvenile justice, the Oregon Youth Authority, victims' restitution, sex offender registration, crime prevention programs and many other issues.