Frequently Asked Questions

Nominations for the 2025 National Crime Victims' Service Awards are now closed. For more information about the awards, visit the National Crime Victims' Service Awards site.

Select OVC publications and products are available to order. Contact our Response Center for assistance.

OVC Response Center
P.O. Box 6000
Rockville, MD  20849–6000
Phone: 800-851-3420 or 202-836-6998
(TTY 301-240-6310)
Email: [email protected]

The 2025 National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW) Resource Guide is not yet available. Until the release of 2025 NCVRW materials, we encourage you to access the 2024 NCVRW Resource Guide, which provides a wealth of materials, in both English and Spanish, to educate the public about victims' rights, protections, and services throughout the year. These 2024 NCVRW materials were created by the National Center for Victims of Crime with funding from OVC.

View the 2024 Resource Guide

Visit the NCVRW section of our website to learn more about NCVRW and sign up for the NCVRW Subscription List to receive to receive information the release of the Guide, along with important updates about future commemorations.

NCVRW will be commemorated April 6–12, 2025

Sign up for the NCVRW Subscription List to receive important updates about future NCVRW commemorations, including the release of the 2025 Resource Guide materials.

Visit the NCVRW section of our website to learn more about NCVRW.

The date of the 2024 National Crime Victims' Service Awards Ceremony has not been announced. Visit our National Crime Victims' Rights Week Awards & Events page for information about planned events this year.

Sign up for the National Crime Victims' Rights Week Subscription List to receive email updates about future National Crime Victims' Service Awards Ceremonies and other National Crime Victims' Rights Week updates.

Visit the OVC Gallery to view information and watch videos about award recipients from this year and previous years.

The rules on victim impact statements and victims' rights can vary from state to state. Visit the VictimLaw and the National Crime Victim Law Institute websites for information. 

Visit our Help for Victims microsite to learn about resources and services for victims of crime.

Another source of help is your local victim/witness assistance program. You may contact the VictimConnect helpline by phone or text at 855-484-2846 or online chat for a referral in your area.

Find out more in this brochure, What You Can Do If You Are a Victim of Crime, which includes a brief overview of OVC, your rights, and where you can get help.

Restitution is a court action that requires perpetrators to make financial payments to their victims, usually as a condition of probation or leniency in sentencing. Compensation is provided by the Victim Compensation Program in each State.

For additional information about compensation, view the Victim Compensation section of our website.

If you’re interested in conducting legal research relating to crime victims, visit the VictimLaw and the National Crime Victim Law Institute websites.

You may also visit a state, county, or local law library for legal research assistance.

Additional research assistance may be obtained through the Ask a Law Librarian page on the Library of Congress website.

Visit the Get Posted section of the OVC Directory of Crime Victim Services for information on how to add your program or organization to the Directory.