Alaska Victim Legal Assistance Network of Ten Partner Agencies to Develop Comprehensive, Collaborative Model for Delivering Wraparound Legal Assistance to Crime Victims

The Wraparound Victim Legal Assistance Network Demonstration Project supports the development of models for networks that collaboratively provide free, comprehensive, holistic legal assistance to victims to address the range of legal needs that may arise in the wake of victimization. At a minimum, the sites will provide legal services that include civil legal assistance (including, but not limited to, family, custody and dependency, employment, and administrative issues related to the victimization); enforcement of victims' rights in criminal proceedings; assistance for victims of identity theft and financial fraud; and immigration assistance for human trafficking victims and battered immigrant women.

In the needs assessment phase, the grantees undertook extensive planning including formation of a steering committee or governing body made up of network partners, conducting a comprehensive needs assessment, and development of a detailed implementation plan that includes policies, procedures, and protocols for providing victims with necessary legal services and referrals within the network. Implementation of the plans developed for providing direct legal services to victims of crime through the legal assistance network began in the latter part of the last project year. Under the continuation award, each grantee will continue to partner with a local, external researcher to work with the network partners to support the implementation, management, and administration of the network. With funding transferred from OVC, the National Institute of Justice will continue to support an evaluation of the demonstration project occurring concurrently with the project.

With funding under this demonstration project, the Alaska Institute of Justice will continue implementation of its plan to provide legal services to crime victims in three locations in Alaska (Anchorage, Juneau, and Bethel) and ultimately across the state through a statewide legal assistance network.

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The Wraparound Victim Legal Assistance Network Demonstration Project supports the development of models for networks that collaboratively provide free, comprehensive, holistic legal assistance to victims to address the range of legal needs that may arise in the wake of victimization. At a minimum, the sites will provide legal services that include civil legal assistance (including, but not limited to, family, custody and dependency, employment, and administrative issues related to the victimization); enforcement of victims' rights in criminal proceedings; assistance for victims of identity theft and financial fraud; and immigration assistance for human trafficking victims and battered immigrant women. In the needs assessment phase, the grantees undertook extensive planning including formation of a steering committee or governing body made up of network partners, conducting a comprehensive needs assessment, and development of a detailed implementation plan that includes policies, procedures, and protocols for providing victims with necessary legal services and referrals within the network. Implementation of the plans developed for providing direct legal services to victims of crime through the legal assistance network began in the latter part of the last project year. With funding under this demonstration project, the Alaska Institute of Justice will continue to implement and enhance a comprehensive, collaborative model for delivering wraparound legal services to all crime victims that can be replicated in other rural states. During the final phase, project partners will enhance implementation of the plan for a model network that will deliver no-cost legal services holistically to all crime victims within Alaska. Legal services will include: protecting crime victim rights during the prosecution of criminal cases and legal assistance with family law, divorce/custody, domestic violence, immigration, dependency, employment, tribal/Indian law issues, consumer protection including assistance for financial fraud and identity theft, housing matters and public benefits.
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