Law Enforcement-Based Direct Victim Services Enhancement

Through the FY 2018 Law Enforcement-Based Direct Victim’s Services and Technical Assistance Program, OVC seeks to support projects that will develop or enhance and sustain direct victim assistance service programs within law enforcement-based systems and better coordinate partnerships with community-based programs to serve the broader needs and rights of all crime victims. Funding under this program will support direct victim assistance service grants to state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies in small, mid-sized, and large jurisdictions to hire staff to develop new or enhance existing law enforcement-based victim service programs.

With this award, The Little Rock Police Department will enhance its current comprehensive victim assistance program by using funds for VOCA-allowable victim assistance services to assist identifiable victims who experience a variety of issues as a result of their victimization including: the loss of a phone (e.g., provide pre-paid cellular phones); to promote victim safety and access to community-based services (e.g., purchase and use a transport vehicle for victims); assist identifiable victims with up-front temporary housing costs to allow them to stabilize their lives after victimization; assist victims with securing their residences following a violent crime incident particularly those victims within identified high crime areas (e.g., door alarms, re-keying kits, security bars, etc.); assist identified victims with emergency short-term childcare services in order to respond to the emotional, psychological and physical needs of crime victims and, assist the program; purchase data management system software and mobile technology (e.g., IPads) for staff use to increase quantity and quality of reporting measures. The Little Rock Police Department will complement their existing program by offering a higher quality of services to victims and meeting a larger number of victims’ self-identified needs.
CA/NCF