TINA FOX: Crime victims usually are extracted from the criminal justice system, but here's an opportunity for us at the Board of Parole to include them, to engage them, to make sure that their needs are being met. Most persons are not familiar with the parole hearing process. We hear about 1,500 cases every month, and every case has a crime victim. And so it's my responsibility to make sure that they are informed, that they are educated, that they are prepped throughout this process.
RICHARD MONTGOMERY, CHAIRMAN, TENNESSEE BOARD OF PAROLE: Tina is someone who is compassionate, who loves her job, and who knows how to connect with the victims and the families.
TINA FOX: So good to see you.
MARVA BRADFORD, HOMICIDE SURVIVOR: My son Taylor was a student. He was shot on campus. I'm glad that the state has a program such as this and that Tina is the director. We knew that if we had questions, she was going to answer them for us. And we also knew that she was there to provide moral support and basically empathize with us.
TINA FOX: Good afternoon, everybody.
GROUP: Hello!
TINA FOX: We don't want victims to be re-victimized, and so I invited victim services directors and coordinators to talk about opportunities we can have to improve our service. Usually they like to try to have it with the AG's office. I once heard that no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care. I can have all the knowledge in the world, but if I don't have compassion, if I don't show care and concern for someone, then it really doesn't matter.
We plant trees to honor and remember victims' names during National Crime Victims' Rights Week. Oftentimes we remember the offender's names and often not the victims' names. So this gives us an opportunity to remember victims across the state. We have planted over 90 trees to date. My focus is to make sure that every crime victim’s needs are being met. And I contend that justice cannot be served until every victim is served.
