In recognition of April 10-16 as Crime Victims Rights Week in Alabama, local residents will gather to strengthen bonds and remember loved ones during a ceremony at the St. Clair County Courthouse in Pell City.

An event organized by the nonprofit organization VOCAL (Victims of Crime and Leniency) will take place April 14 at 7 p.m. and will include a candlelight vigil, balloon release and reception. According to Carrie Leland with the St. Clair County District Attorney’s Office, Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange has made plans to attend.

Residents can participate in the event by announcing the name of a loved one or their own name to recognize that person as the victim of crime or a representative. Those who wish to be included are encouraged to arrive by 6:30 p.m., check in at VOCAL table and let a member know they would like to light a candle in honor or memory of a victim or victims during the ceremony. Participants will gather behind a podium with candles lit during the presentations.

(VOCAL), according to its website, is an advocacy group established in 1982 for victims’ rights consisting of concerned citizens, victims of crime and their families, law enforcement officers, attorneys, and others interested in reducing crime and improving the plight of its victims.

For more on the the event or how to participate, call or email Leland at (205) 338-9429 or carrie.leland@alabamada.gov.

To view crime statistics from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, click here.