June 2021
OVC and Bureau of Justice Statistics Fellow Heather Warnken, J.D., LL.M. presents her work and vision to ensure equity in victim services. Ms. Warnken highlights statistics on racial disparities and violent victimization. She discusses the need to ensure that programming is in place to reach victims of color and how OVC-administered Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) assistance and compensation funds, a major funding source for victim services throughout the Nation, and other discretionary funds, can be used to expand access to justice across all communities.