Message From the Director
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) was established as part of the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs in 1988 through an amendment to the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA). VOCA and OVC institutionalized a decades-long movement to articulate and enforce the rights of crime victims in the justice system and to offer comprehensive services to victims to support their healing process. Today, OVC provides not only funding, but also leadership, vision, and capacity building to the field of victim services.
Through Crime Victims Fund disbursements and support for innovative programs, in fiscal years 2019 and 2020, OVC reached an astonishing number of victims across the Nation. More than 28 million crime victims benefited from VOCA-funded assistance, and VOCA compensation payments went out to nearly half a million claims.
In the past 2 years, OVC also made important organizational changes to enhance its capacity to assist crime victims and to reflect national victimization trends related to human trafficking and crimes against American Indians and Alaska Natives. Additionally, OVC developed new or enhanced existing programs to address the surge in mass violence incidents, the growing addiction crisis, and the enduring issues of elder abuse, sexual assault, and domestic violence.
Even through this challenging pandemic, I’ve witnessed how resolutely our tremendous federal staff, grantees, and program partners fulfill the mission of helping crime victims and lift up the voices of survivors. This year, we re-focus our attention on increasing access to services for all victims, including underserved communities. As the victims’ rights movement continues to evolve, so do OVC’s innovative efforts to reach victims and help them rebuild their lives.
Kristina Rose
Director
Office for Victims of Crime