Spotlight: Pamela Ferguson-Brey, 40th Anniversary Honoree
Pamela Ferguson-Brey’s dedication to fighting for the rights of crime victims has been a decades-long game changer for the rights of citizens of Hawaii as well as the victims of drunk and drugged driving tragedies, which is the focus of MADD Hawaii.
Pamela has served as the Executive Director of Hawaii’s Crime Victim Compensation Commission since 1999 and has made a tremendous impact in attaining justice for victims of family abuse, neglect, and workplace discrimination. She has also served as the Executive Director of the Commission on the Status of Women, as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the City and County of Honolulu, as the Prosecutor’s legislative liaison, and as a Deputy Attorney General in Child Abuse and Neglect cases.
In 2013, Pamela was honored with the Crime Victims Financial Restoration Award by US Attorney General Eric Holder for her efforts to improve restitution collection for crime victims in Hawaii. Pamela worked in conjunction with Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, legislators, community stakeholders, and the Council of State Government, to ensure that the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) in Hawaii included a victim service component.
“I am proud of Pam’s commitment to helping crime victims get the restitution they deserve,” Gov. Abercrombie was quoted as saying in the Hawaii Free Press in 2013. “Pam is a reflection of our state’s commitment to our Justice Reinvestment Initiative goals and the progress we have already achieved. Through her hard work, victims can be reassured that the people who committed the crimes will be held accountable for their actions.”
Pamela’s efforts also led to funding for the creation of a comprehensive computer database to track restitution orders, collections, and payments, and the establishment of the permanent Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification System (SAVIN). She had drafted the SAVIN legislation with Dennis Dunn, of Victim Witness Kokua, and Rep. Marilyn Lee.
In this 40th Year since MADD Hawaii was founded, Pamela’s tireless work to fight for victim compensation and rights has been an inspiration to those who work or volunteer alongside her and to future generations advocating for justice and corrective action.
