Introduction
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is pleased to present this report of activities during fiscal years (FY) 2019 and 2020. Every year, OVC supports millions of victims of crime. The core of this support is the Crime Victims Fund (the Fund), which is financed not by tax dollars, but by fines, bond forfeitures, and penalties from offenders in federal cases. In FY 2019, the appropriation cap on the Fund was $3.353 billion, and in FY 2020, the appropriation cap was decreased to $2.641 billion.
In FY 2019, OVC awarded more than $2.3 billion to state victim assistance and compensation programs, and in FY 2020, OVC awarded $1.8 billion to these programs.
State victim assistance programs—through formula grants awarded to State Administrating Agencies, that then award subgrants directly to local service providers—provide help for individuals, families, and communities recovering from both the immediate and prolonged effects of victimization. Assistance funds support critical services such as crisis counseling, telephone and onsite information and referrals, criminal justice support and advocacy, emergency shelter, therapy, and more. States are also using assistance funds to develop new initiatives that address emerging needs and gaps in services for individuals and local communities.
State victim compensation programs provide financial assistance and reimbursement to victims for crime-related out-of-pocket expenses, including medical and dental care, counseling, funeral and burial expenses, and lost wages and income.
In addition to victim compensation and assistance, OVC supports a variety of key initiatives throughout the Nation. In this report, you will learn about OVC’s use of funding to provide direct services, build capacity in the victim services field, support research and evaluation, spur innovation, and serve victims of all forms of victimization. These include victims of human trafficking, child abuse, sexual assault, financial exploitation, and terrorism and mass violence. Through the OVC Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Program, OVC supports the provision of trauma-informed, culturally appropriate care for victims in tribal communities.
In FYs 2019 and 2020, victim service providers throughout the Nation dedicated themselves to helping those who need support and advocacy. This report provides descriptions and vignettes of some of OVC’s key victim services programs—highlighting their successes, their challenges, and their efforts to help victims of crime rebuild their lives.
Performance Measure Data
Unless otherwise noted, the data throughout the report reflect FY 2019 and 2020 performance measure data as entered by VOCA Victim Assistance, VOCA Victim Compensation, Transforming Victim Services, and human trafficking grantees into the OVC Performance Measurement Tool. Grantees enter data on a quarterly basis for their activities under their award or subaward. This data is self-reported. The data were refreshed as of March 2021.