Submitted by: Renee Gresham-Crawford

From a News Release issued by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, June 2006

(CASA volunteers represent abused and neglected children in court as a guardian ad litem and monitor their cases and situations to ensure the best interests of the child.)

The State of Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) has recognized four individuals, including CASA Volunteer Stephanie Giorgio of Savannah-Chatham CASA, for their outstanding contributions in the field of victim services at the Eagle Awards Luncheon during the Thirteenth Annual Victim Services Training Conference in Atlanta. The Council initiated these awards five years ago for recipients representing four areas of distinction - Advocacy, Law Enforcement, Prosecution and Volunteerism.

“It is important to communicate our appreciation to these individuals throughout Georgia who invest their time and energy in improving the delivery of services to victims. The Eagle Awards serve this essential purpose,” said CJCC Executive Director Molly J.M. Perry.

The Eagle Award recipients included: for Volunteerism Stephanie Giorgio, Savannah-Chatham Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA); for Advocacy Sybil Collins, Director of Victim Services, Office of the District Attorney - Dougherty Judicial Circuit; for Law Enforcement Sergeant Jay Eisner of the DeKalb County Police Department; and for Prosecution Danny Porter, District Attorney of the Gwinnett Judicial Circuit. The Victim Service Awards Steering Committee selected the winners from a pool of nominees.

The Council makes these awards to distinguish exemplary advocates, prosecutors, law enforcement officers and volunteers at the local, state, and/or national levels and to provide a means whereby their contributions can be acknowledged by peers and the community.

Stephanie Giorgio is a CASA volunteer who represents abused and neglected children in the Chatham County Juvenile Court. Her primary focus as a CASA volunteer is to ensure that the children she serves are placed in safe and permanent homes and to prevent re-victimization while the children’s cases are in the criminal justice system. She advocates on behalf of the children she serves through thorough investigations and evaluations of all aspects of an assigned case. Ms. Giorgio spends time interviewing parents, extended family members, school officials, police, hospital staff, and the children themselves. She then uses all the information gathered to make a determination as to what will be in the best interest of the child. The cases she has worked have been both time intensive and emotionally strenuous; although, she dedicates herself to providing a voice for the child she is serving. Through Ms. Giorgio’s dedication she has been able to provide sound background information on the children she serves to the Judge and caseworkers, and this allows the deciding parties the opportunity to make the best decision regarding the well being of the child.