Dear Colleagues,
October 12, 2024, marks the 40th anniversary of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and four decades of acknowledging crime victims’ experiences with the criminal justice system and enhancing services for survivors of crime as they seek physical, financial, and emotional healing.
One of the most consequential developments to arise from VOCA was the establishment of the Crime Victims Fund, a dedicated funding source made up of criminal fines, penalties, and bond forfeitures from convictions in federal cases – not tax dollars. More than $38 billion dollars have funded local programs since VOCA was enacted. Those programs have provided mental health, housing, legal assistance, victim advocacy, crisis intervention, and other services to help victims and survivors.
We at OVC value VOCA daily, but, this year, we made it our objective to stress the importance and impact of VOCA at every opportunity.
- In April, we commemorated it during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year’s Resource Guide included a special section on the 40th anniversary of VOCA and, during the Awards Ceremony, I paid tribute to VOCA and the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) for laying the foundation for OVC to ensure that victims and survivors of crime have access to victim assistance and compensation programs in their state.
- In July, I highlighted the 40th anniversary of VOCA at the NOVA’s 50th Annual Training Conference and acknowledged the official launch of the Victim Advocacy Corp, a program investing in diverse youth leaders in victim services.
- In August, we underscored the importance of VOCA and relived its history at the 2024 National Joint Training Conference for VOCA Victim Assistance and Victim Compensation Administrators.
- Every month, I brief the field on the status of the Crime Victims Fund, which simply would not exist if it weren’t for VOCA.
- In October, the Department of Justice announced $4 billion in awards to support public safety and community justice activities in the states and territories and in local and Tribal communities, including VOCA-funded initiatives like the Trauma Recovery Center Demonstration Project, Meeting the Basic Needs of Crime Victims in Underserved Communities Program, and the Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Program.
- And our anniversary commemoration will culminate in the release of two Justice Today episodes. One episode will feature a conversation with veteran advocates about how the victim services field has evolved since the passage of VOCA and the other will feature a conversation with members of the OVC-funded Youth Advocacy Corp about the future of victim services. Stay tuned for those releases!
Many advancements have been made over these past four decades, of which we should be very proud. Millions of victims and survivors have received life-saving and life-affirming services. As we reflect on this important milestone, let me offer a nation’s gratitude for your commitment to ensuring that all crime victims have options and access to vital victim services. I’m proud to be surrounded by a field of dedicated professionals taking aim at meeting those needs every single day. Please join us in celebrating 40 years of the Victims of Crime Act.
Sincerely,
Kristina Rose
Director