AdVIC is a registered charity (CHY 16399) run by families bereaved by homicide, for families bereaved by homicide. AdVIC is managed through an executive committee of 10 to 15 people who meet once a month. The committee is elected at our yearly AGM.

Officers for 2012 are:

Chairperson; Winnie Fox
Joint Secretary: Annie Mulvaney and Joan Dean
Joint Treasurer: Noeleen Slattery-Lee and Kay Langan

Throughout our website you will see the word ‘homicide’; this is a legal term that describes murder, manslaughter or any unlawful killing. The aftermath of a homicide is a time of immense trauma, and the task of seeking out the necessary information to cope with this can be very daunting.

Many families reported that their trauma was exacerbated by the fact that they did not know their rights, or understand the system in which they found themselves. In setting up AdVIC, one of our objectives was to help families’ access relevant information. We at AdVIC have tried to collate as much of this information as possible in one location, on this website.

The purpose of our website is to set out clearly our objectives for changes, while providing vital information to help families deal with the practicalities arising after a homicide. This information can be found under our Information Section. However, while we have tried to include as much information as possible, we would welcome any further information you feel would be helpful. You can contact us here

A further objective of AdVIC is to advocate for changes in our Criminal Justice system, a system which we have found to lack fairness and balance, and within which the families of homicide victims have no status. We would advocate for the following changes:

• A state appointed Victim liaison officer for families of homicide victims
• Garda Family Liaison Officer (FLO) scheme to be extended to all districts and FLO to be given continuous training
• Victim impact statement for all homicide convictions
• Definition for Manslaughter  and Murder to be changed to Murder by degree
• Minimum of 25 years imprisonment for 1st degree murder conviction
• Defined sentencing scales for other degree murder convictions
• Bail laws to be tithed and implemented by the judiciary
• Parole and Release
• Revision  of concurrent sentences
• Revision  of article 10 of the Injury Compensation Tribunal scheme

These points are described in detail in our Policy Document, which you can view here (requires Microsoft Word).  The range of support AdVIC provides to people bereaved by homicide can be found in our services section.