Participants in the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty’s 2011 conference plenary session about family members of homicide victims line up to have their copies of the book “The Ride: A Shocking Murder and a Bereaved Father’s Journey from Rage to Redemption”  autographed by the book’s subject, Bob Curley (seated, center) and author Brian MacQuarrie (seated, to right of Curley). The book concerns the emotional turmoil and life changes Curley underwent following the murder of his son.

Rachel’s Fund is a program of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, an organization dedicated to abolishing capital punishment. Rachel’s Fund encourages and supports individuals and organizations working to end capital punishment to build common ground with organizations serving the needs of murder victims’ and death row prisoners’ families. It seeks to change the criminal justice debate to focus on effective policies, which protect all families and communities from violent crime.

Through training provided by its program director, death penalty repeal advocates learn about the tragic impact of capital punishment on victims’ and death row prisoners’ families. The training enables advocates to connect to them with greater sensitivity and empathy.

Rachel’s Fund also strives to deepen policymakers’ and the publics' understanding of these families’ needs, in order to make a positive, tangible difference in their lives.