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. For example, victims were routinely excluded from the court during trials without good reason. It was commonplace for murderers to be sentenced to life in prison and to serve 8 years or less.

Over the ensuing decades, Crime Victims United has worked with the Oregon Legislature on laws to protect the rights of crime victims and raise the priority of 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 nearly three decades 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 (victims' rights) in 1984, Measure 10 (victims' rights) in 1986, Measures 10 (preservation of sentences), 11 (sentencing for violent crimes) and 17 (work for inmates) in 1994, Measures 26 (foundation of criminal justice) and 40 (constitutional victims' rights) in 1996, and Measures 69 through 75 (constitutional victims' rights) in 1999. In 2000 we led the opposition to Measure 94, the initiative to repeal Measure 11. In 2008 we were instrumental in the passage of Measures 51 and 52 which made crime victims' constitutional rights enforceable.

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 Task Force, 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, the Governor's Advisory Council on DUII, 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.