Strengthening Victim Witness Advocacy

OVC’s mission is to enhance the nation’s capacity to assist crime victims and provide leadership in changing policies and practices to promote justice and healing for all victims of crime. OVC achieves this mission, in part, by administering competitive award programs supported by the federal Crime Victims Fund to develop innovative training, technical assistance, and direct service projects designed to improve the overall quality of services delivered to crime victims.

The overall goal of the Tribal Victim Service program is to provide support to Indian tribes to improve services for victims of crime. Under this program, funding supports a range of activities including needs assessment, strategic planning, program development and implementation, program expansion, and other activities to address the victim service needs of tribes.

With this award, Navajo will expand its services and create a Victim Witness Advocacy
Program (VWAP). SFP proposes to hire two (2) Victim and Witness Advocates (VWA) who will provide shelter and supportive services to victims of all crimes. The SFP is planning to
operate and maintain a five (5)-room facility in Pueblo Pintado, New Mexico, in the Eastern Agency of the Navajo Nation.

Although the VWAs will be located at this site, they will be available to respond to crises involving crime victims throughout the other areas of the Navajo Nation. The creation of the VWAP is an effort to spearhead and streamline all victim and
witness advocacy activities on behalf of the Navajo Nation.
(CA/NCF)