Bridging the Gap in Tribal Crime Victim Services

The purpose of this award, funded under the OVC FY 2019 Field-Generated Program to Improve Services for Victims of Crime, will support an innovative, field-generated approach to address gaps in the availability of resources for crime victims. This award is made under Purpose Area 1: Innovative Programs to Fill Gaps in Tribal Crime Victim Services. Awards made under this purpose area will support broader programs that have the potential to impact victim services for multiple tribes.

Arizona Voice for Crime Victims, Inc. (AVCV) will use this award to fill gaps in tribal crime victim services by expanding no-cost legal representation and social services to victims in Indian Country within Arizona. AVCV is partnering with the National Crime Victim Law Institute (NCVLI) on this project. Together, AVCV and NCVLI will work to ensure victims in Indian Country have an opportunity for meaningful participation throughout the criminal justice process by asserting and enforcing victims’ rights under the Federal Crime Victims’ Rights Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3771, in federal courts, under the Arizona Victims’ Bill of Rights, Ariz. Const. art. II, § 2.1, in state courts, and under the relevant tribal victims’ rights in tribal courts. This project is designed to serve victims who are members of any of the 22 federally recognized tribes within Arizona and without limitation on the type of victimization. AVCV’s attorney and social worker on this project will conduct outreach with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, statewide tribal prosecuting and law enforcement agencies, and with organizations who provide services to victims in Indian Country in an effort to bring awareness to these available, no-cost, holistic services.

CA/NCF