ATTORNEY GENERAL MIKE MCGRATH
STATE OF MONTANA

FOR RELEASE: May 1, 2007

CONTACT: Lynn Solomon, 444-0582 or Judy Beck, 444-5774

McGrath Honors Leslie McClintock, Outstanding Victims' Advocate

HELENA – Montana Attorney General Mike McGrath today honored outstanding crime victims' advocate Leslie McClintock of Missoula in a ceremony at the Missoula City Council Chambers.

"This is well-deserved and long overdue," McGrath said. "There are thousands of Montanans whose lives have been changed for the better thanks to Leslie and her good work."

McClintock retired earlier this year after working for Missoula County for 25 years, including 16 supervising the Office of Planning and Grants' City/County Crime Victim Advocate Program. She worked on the Women's Economic Justice Project, which provides economic opportunities to survivors of domestic violence, and she started the Healthy Indian Family Consortium.

McClintock's friends and colleagues called her an "incomparable supervisor who instilled a sense of confidence and leadership," and noted that she guided the Missoula program toward "self-sufficiency and sustainability" as her 25-year career came to an end. Others called McClintock "the advocate's advocate."

Missoula Assistant City Attorney Judith Wang, in her letter supporting McClintock's nomination, wrote that McClintock "envisioned needs in the community and tailored grant requests so that new services could be provided."

In February, the City of Missoula proclaimed a "Leslie McClintock Day," noting that McClintock helped bring $6.2 million in grants to Missoula's nationally recognized program.

Each April the Attorney General's Office honors outstanding victim advocates. Nominees were evaluated based on their specific efforts on behalf of crime victims, length of service in the field, their role in relation to a victim service program and outstanding efforts on behalf of victims.

For a list of prior honorees: www.doj.mt.gov/victims/advocatehonorees.asp