Caught in the Crossfire

This week, I thought I’d spend some time talking about something that might happen when people become disabled because of violent crime. Unfortunately, the topic of Disabled Victims of Crime seems to be a subject that isn’t talked about too much, or is simply ignored all together.

Having a Criminal Justice background and having been blessed to have spent some years actually working in the Criminal Justice System, it’s sad that not enough attention is given to what happens to innocent bystanders sometimes involved.  I’m talking about the ones who ultimately suffer the consequences of someone else’s actions.  Does anyone give a second thought to the impact the incident may have on them long after criminal proceedings come to a close?  This brings me to the case of Danielle Sampson.

She was hit by a bullet that wasn’t intended for her and now lives with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). I’m glad her family won a civil law suit against the convicted shooter. The money they receive should help with her required around-the-clock care. At the same time, because the shooter received a 30 year sentence in Florida’s Department of Corrections, it leaves me wondering, how much of the money will her family actually get to help with her daily needs?

Increased attention is good in these type of cases because it leads to the potential of more awareness. Although the best case scenario would obviously be violent crime not occur in the first place. This is just one example that because of violent crime, many lives have been impacted forever.

For more information check out the link below:

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/man-convicted-shooting-12-year-old-asks-new-trial/ngKCJ/

Thanks for reading..
cr