If you or your family were victims of a crime, would you know where your resources are in the region?
On April 11th, the first annual Crime & Justice Summit will take place at the Dean & Barbara White Event Center in Merrillville. This free event takes place from 9am to 2pm. Its purpose is to bring together the community and many organizations who work to keep Northwest Indiana safe with a focus on public safety, prevention, education, and family support.
Lorraine Guillen-Wentz of Latin Media is one of the individuals who came up with the idea of the Summit.
“We work with a couple of organizations in the community.” She mentioned Circle of Love who help families impacted by gun violence and homicide while NWI Team Discovery specializes in their volunteer efforts in finding missing persons. “There are people dealing with missing persons or those who have been affected by crime, murder, etc.”
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As they talked to families and communities, they discovered that something bigger was needed. “It was time we put something together for the families in mourning,” Guillen-Wentz explained. “We listened to what they were looking for. They wanted to be heard, they wanted their stories to be told, and they wanted to know what resources were available to them.”
The group created the Crime & Justice Summit. “We are providing for a community in need. We have vendors with resources and dynamic speakers.” This includes local and regional business owners, nonprofit organizations, community leaders, and advocates.
A Different Approach to Prevention and Education
Communities have a variety of events that connect citizens with their local first responders, but the Summit takes that connection even further.
“Other events touch base on these subjects,” Guillen-Wentz explained. While there are numerous opportunities to go to fire department open houses or meet and greets with police on National Night Out, the summit takes that and expands it with more organizations that support people in the community, especially in times of need. Organizations such as the Office of the Coroner, Lake County Prosecutor’s office, and CASA for Children (Court Appointed Special Advocates) will be available to visitors at the Summit. “They are coming together to reach out to families,” Guillen-Wentz said. “We’re excited to bring these resourceful organizations under one roof.”
Lisette Guillen of Case Files Chicago is also one of the facilitators of the Crime & Justice Summit. “ I have not seen anything like this in the area,” she remarked. “It is different because it hasn’t been done here yet.” She noted that events like the Summit have only been offered in bigger cities and not regions like Northwest Indiana. “We feel this could bridge the gap between community and first responders.
The Summit could not be possible with the partners and sponsors who come together to help families in need of their resources. Circle of Love, NWI Team Discovery, and the Coroner’s Offices of Lake and Newton Counties will be present. Huuso Bio, based in Plainfield, Illinois, helps families with cleanup after a tragedy. Destinee Events will be providing food for guests.
Connecting Community With Resources
The call for resources to help families impacted by crime, violence, and homicide has been heard, and the connection between community and law enforcement can only be strengthened by the Summit.
“We will be able to have open communication and dialogue with the questions and relationships made here,” Guillen offered. “People feel like they cannot reach out for whatever reason. At the same time, we want law enforcement to know that families need to be updated on their cases.” Along with communication, the community connects with the resources and vendors who can assist with education and prevention.
Guillen-Wentz expressed understanding that everyone can support each other in their times of need. “One of the things we were asked to do is help families get heard. They need more help. When it comes to law enforcement, they are already working on overload. Bridging the gap between the two and bringing awareness will help the community.”
Through these connections, people will know who they can contact when it comes to trying to help solve crimes, prevent domestic violence, or reduce the number of missing children. Awareness and prevention are two of the goals that can come from the Crime & Justice Summit. Guillen-Wentz expressed the hope, “If we can save one life, we have done our job.”
