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County Program Registers Its 5000th Participant
Six years ago, the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner (CCOCME) announced its Coroner's Visitation Program (CVP), which is designed to show troubled teens and young adults the outcome of violent and reckless behavior through real stories and a visit to the coroner/medical examiner's office. This month CVP received its 5000th participant.
"A milestone of this nature stirs two emotions for all of us involved with this sobering program," said Clark County Coroner Michael Murphy. "We are grateful to have the opportunity to do everything we can to persuade young people to make better choices with their lives – choices that benefit their families and our community. However, this opportunity comes with a price. The photographs that our participants' see and the stories they hear are not imaginary. The family members of those children who have died, still grieve for their son or daughter to this day."
CVP is a collaboration among the state legislature, CCOCME, the Eighth Judicial District Court – Family Division, the Clark County Juvenile Justice Department and the Justice Court Education Program. Hosted by the coroner/medical examiner's office, CVP is a three-hour educational program scheduled twice a week, every week. The participants are referred to the program by juvenile probation officers and by court order. CVP is also available to the public, ages 14 to 22. The cost to attend is $45. This is a self-supporting program. It doesn't receive any money from Clark County's general fund. There is absolutely no cost to the taxpayer.
Two groups of teenagers are targeted for CVP: Individuals in trouble for drug or alcohol use and youth with behavioral problems or a history of violence. While none of the attendees see autopsies or uncovered human remains, the participants do look at photographs of dead people who died when they were teenagers and young adults and listen to the details surrounding each individual's death. Family members of all of the deceased have given the coroner/medical examiner's office permission to showcase their loved ones' stories.
According to Murphy, the grim subject matter is having a significant impact on the young men and women who attend CVP– and the proof is in the numbers. At the Clark County Juvenile Justice Department, a criminal records check in 2007 revealed that recidivism (defined as arrests versus disposition) has remained consistent at 12.6%. This reflects a lower than average recidivism rate for youthful offender programs.
For more information about CVP, log on to www.accessclarkcounty.com and click on the CVP link that is listed under the New to the Website listing on the front page.
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