The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office is pleased to announce the appointment of Movita Johnson-Harrell, who will be joining DAO as Interim Supervisor of Victim Services. Ms. Johnson-Harrell is intimately aware of the impact of crime as she is both the mother and daughter of a homicide victim. The Victim Services unit is tasked with advocating on behalf of and providing services for all crime victims and witnesses in Philadelphia.
“I am thrilled and honored to join the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office in this vital mission, and look forward to serving the people of Philadelphia in my new role,” Ms. Johnson-Harrell said.
Ms. Johnson-Harrell founded the CHARLES (Creating Healthy Alternatives Results in Less Emotional Suffering) Foundation in 2011 after losing her 18 year-old son, Charles Andre Johnson, to gun violence. She also suffered the loss of her father, cousin, and only brother to homicide.
“I know that this moment of transition in the DAO has been confusing for some victims and their families,” said Johnson-Harrell. “I want to ensure them that our unit is open for business and that we are here to make sure that you have whatever information you need. Please, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me or my staff.”
Ms. Johnson-Harrell has served on the City of Philadelphia’s Focused Deterrence program, and has lobbied and educated state legislators on public safety, mass incarceration, and education issues for over six years. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Masters in Social Work in 2004 and was honored with Penn’s School of Social Work Anita Langsfeld Award, the Jane S. Abrams Award for Outstanding Community Service and the Resources for Children’s Health Community Service Award.
“Her wealth of knowledge, depth of experience, and enthusiasm will be crucial to our Office’s critical mission of delivering services to witnesses of and those traumatized by crime,” District Attorney Krasner said.
The Victim Services Unit can be contacted at (215) 686-8027 or e-mail [email protected].
Author: Amaury Abreu
