Westmoreland County DA unveils courthouse retreat for crime victims

Nicole Ziccarelli said the new area is intended to “help their healing.”

It was a pre-teen victim of a sexual assault who two years ago made it clear to Westmoreland prosecutors that the sterile courthouse environment was not a comfortable place to spend time.

Victims and their families had few options during court downtime. They could sit outside the courtroom as a jury debated a potential verdict or retire to a small, plain room with a few folding chairs.

Neither was a great option, said Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli.

“People are coming to this place on the worst day of their lives and I believe if we can assist in making this experience less distressing then we can help their healing and prevention of crime,” Ziccarelli said she announced the opening of what she called a first-of-its-kind family friendly waiting area for crime victims at the courthouse.

Named E’s Room after the young victim who sparked idea for an updated waiting area, Ziccarelli hailed the project as a furtherance of efforts to reduce trauma crime victims forced to endure during their involvement with the criminal justice system.

“We had a much smaller room and people were crowded in there. It wasn’t a place of reprieve. This is now a way for people to come into our office and not really be in our office,” Ziccarelli said.

The $15,000 project, paid for through grants from the Richard King Mellon Foundation and the state, features painted walls with artwork and a mural, plush carpeting, a faux skylight, a kitchenette stocked with snacks, a couch and padded chairs, large screen television and books and games to help families pass the time.

The 18.5-by-11 foot room was designed by staff at the Fred Rogers Institute at Saint Vincent College near Latrobe. It occupies a former storage area that was later converted to office space used by interns.

Fred Rogers Institute Executive Director Emma Swift Lee called the waiting room a unique project and one that could serve as a trendsetter.

“The work we do is about creating safe and comfortable places for children. This project was right up our alley and it’s such a tangible project here in Westmoreland County, where Fred is from,” Lee said. “We work all the time with educators and families and to create a new space like this was a special opportunity.”

Kristy Speranza, the district attorney office’s victim-witness coordinator, said an updated waiting space was needed, calling the previously used by crime victims sterile, uninviting and one that didn’t help them relax and decompress during long days in court.

“It can be mentally and physically draining to come to the courthouse and we needed a comfortable place to go back to with dim lights, snacks and a couch to hug someone on. No one asks to be a victim of a crime and we wanted to make sure this room was applicable to all ages, children and adults,” Speranza said.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Kevin Dougherty, who traveled from his home in Philadelphia to attend Thursday’s unveiling, said efforts to make crime victims comfortable is a priority for the courts and can lead to improvements in the criminal justice system.

“Today is an example of government coming together to do the right things for the right people,” Dougherty said.

Pennsylvania Senate Pro Tem Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, who helped secure a $4,700 state grant for the project, said it was money well spent.

“We’re doing something positive for victims. This money came from you. It came from your tax dollars. This is a great way to spend your tax dollars and a good way for the state to work together to do something positive for people who are struggling,” Ward said.