Frequently Asked Questions

Through the OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center, OVC offers practical skill-building sessions through its Trainings Catalog and National Victim Assistance Academy (NVAA), an education and training classroom experience for professionals and volunteers who assist victims and survivors of crime. Continuing education units (CEUs) are offered for full participation and completion of all requirements for select trainings and the NVAA.

To sign up for the OVC TTAC listserv, fill out and submit the online request form. Once you have registered, you will receive notification of future OVC TTAC training events and announcements.

The Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) system allows crime victims across the country to obtain timely and reliable information about criminal cases and the custody status of offenders. Information is available 24 hours a day via phone, email, text message (SMS), the VINELink Mobile App, or TTY device. Please visit the VineLink website to register.

If you have not received your Victim Identification Number (VIN) or Personal Identification Number (PIN) for the federal Victim Notification System (VNS), please contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, or the U.S. Attorney's Office handling your case.

For additional information, please visit the Victim Notification System website and the Department of Justice's Victim Notification Program website.

The CrimeSolutions.gov website uses rigorous research to inform practitioners and policymakers about what works in crime victim services, as well as criminal and juvenile justice. Visit the Victims of Crime section of the site to view the research on program effectiveness reviewed and rated by CrimeSolutions.gov researchers and reviewers. CrimeSolutions.gov was created by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and is operated by OJP's National Institute of Justice.

Also visit the OVC-funded Center for Victim Research. The Center provides access to victim research and data and seeks to improve the utility of research and data collection to crime victim services.

Agencies that receive Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds also have complimentary access to the Center's collection of subscription-based journal articles. Visit the Center for Victim Research Registration page and then click on “VOCA-Funded Agencies.” Once you are registered as a VOCA-Funded Agency, you will be able to search for both open-access and subscription resources. 

Visit the Topics section of our site for additional publications and resources.

Begin by reviewing the Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide, an online guide that provides practical information on the creation and day-to-day operations of anti-human trafficking task forces, along with recent case examples. It includes strategies for strengthening multidisciplinary collaboration and enhancing victim identification as well as strategies for victim-centered investigation and prosecution.

The e-Guide is regularly updated with new tools, trainings, resources, and more case examples. The e-Guide is the result of a partnership between the OVC and the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

The Community Relations Service (CRS) is the U.S. Department of Justice's "peacemaker" and responds to communities experiencing conflict and violence to help restore peaceful relations.

CRS is the only federal agency dedicated to assisting state and local units of government, private and public organizations, and community groups with preventing community incidents and in restoring stability and harmony.

CRS facilitates the development of viable, mutual understandings and agreements as alternatives to coercion, violence, or litigation. It assists communities through facilitated dialogue, mediation, training, and consultation to overcome differences and build the skills needed to prevent future disputes.

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number and is used to identify a business entity.

If you are experiencing problems with a State Victim Notification Everyday (VINE) system, please contact the state organization responsible for the system. To locate the appropriate contact, visit the VINELink site and select your state from the map.

Individuals typically designated as mandatory reporters of child abuse, including child sexual abuse and exploitation, have frequent contact with children and may include health care workers, school personnel, child care providers, social workers, law enforcement officers, and mental health professionals.

Information about mandatory reporters is available on the State Statutes section of the Child Welfare Information Gateway website. You may also consult with your state or Tribal child welfare agency.