The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) honored Mel Hewitt, partner at Isenberg & Hewitt, PC  and Marsy’s Law for Georgiaadvisory board member, with this year’s Georgia Crime Victim Services Collaborative and Innovative Project Award. The presentation occurred Tuesday, September 19, at The Georgia Commission on Family Violence’s 29th Annual Family Violence Conference on Jekyll Island.

The Georgia Crime Victim Service Collaborative and Innovative Project Award recognizes collaborations and innovations that have helped to expand the reach of victims’ rights and services. This year, the CJCC wanted to recognize an individual for their ongoing commitment to promoting a comprehensive, coordinated, victim-centered and unified community response, while also celebrating their contributions to the lives of victims and survivors. 

The CJCC’s honoree, Mr. Hewitt, has experience in both law enforcement and security prior to becoming an attorney in 1985 and co-founding Isenberg & Hewitt in 1989 with Harriet Isenberg. His focus is representing victims of crime, injured people and their families in significant injury and wrongful death cases, including victims of assault, battery, sexual assault and abuse, child molestation, nursing home abuse and drunk drivers. In addition to Marsy’s Law for Georgia, he serves on multiple local, state and national crime victim boards of directors, including Atlanta Victim Assistance, the Crime Victim Advocacy Council and the National Center for Victims of Crime.  

Marsy’s Law for Georgia, an organization to elevate key rights of crime victims, nominated Mr. Hewitt for his dedication to advocating for and supporting crime victims.

“We have so many intelligent and driven advisory board members, but submitting Mel for this award was an easy decision,” said Brad Alexander, a Marsy’s Law for Georgia representative. “You can feel his passion and empathy when it comes to defending victims’ rights. Having him on our advisory board has been a tremendous asset and we were all too happy to learn that Mel had won the Georgia Crime Victim Services Collaborative and Innovative Project Award from the CJCC.” 

Mr. Hewitt is also the founder of BARKs, a nonprofit dedicated to helping police officers adopt their retired K9 partners.

Awards will be given out at CJCC’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week ceremony on Wednesday, April 26, at the Macon-Bibb County Commission Chamber.