The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) today announced grant awards totaling over $40 million to enhance services for victims of crime across the United States. The grants build on more than $1.2 billion in funding announced in September to support victim assistance and victim compensation programs administered by states and territories.
“The Department of Justice is committed to doing all it can to reduce violent crime, and supporting victims of crime is not only critical to those efforts but also central to our most fundamental responsibility: protecting our fellow citizens," said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The resources announced today will provide direct support to victims of crime as they recover and also bolster the important work of our state, local and Tribal partners who provide victims with comprehensive, high-quality victim services and care."
Approximately $38 million are being awarded under 12 grant programs administered by OJP’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). Almost $2.9 million will be awarded by OJP’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to support research, and $2.1 million will be awarded by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) to support the National Census of Victim Service Providers. Most of the funding comes from the Crime Victims Fund, which was established by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984. The fund is financed by fines and penalties paid by convicted federal offenders, not from tax dollars.
“The needs of crime victims are varied and unique, so when it comes to services, one size does not fit all," said Director Kristina Rose of OJP's OVC. “Service providers can use VOCA funding to create and enhance programs that are culturally specific and reflect the communities they are serving."
The funded programs and their amounts are listed below.
In addition to the grants listed above, over $1.041 billion in funding supports local direct service programs, including children’s advocacy centers, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, human trafficking and elder abuse programs, civil legal services, crime victims’ rights enforcement, as well as victim advocate positions in prosecutors’ offices and law enforcement departments. State programs will receive over $186.8 million to supplement the state funds that assist victims with financial burdens such as medical fees, lost income, dependent care, funeral expenses and other costs resulting from crime.
Furthermore, OVC awarded nearly $87 million in funding to combat human trafficking, provide supportive services to trafficking victims throughout the United States and conduct research into the nature and causes of labor and sex trafficking. OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention also has awarded grants to support services for child victims, and OJP’s Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking awarded more than $20 million to register and track sex offender registration and protect young athletes.
Additional information about these and other FY 2021 grant awards made by OJP can be found online at the OJP Grant Awards Page.
OJP provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs
