February 2000

	

	





	

	

Through its State Compensation and Assistance

Division (SCAD), the Office for Victims of Crime

(OVC) administers two major formula grant programs:

Victim Compensation and Victim Assistance. During the

past decade, these formula grant programs have greatly

improved the accessibility and quality of services to

Federal and State crime victims nationwide. The Division

awards annual compensation and assistance grants to States

in accordance with the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), the

VOCA Grant Program Guidelines, the Office of Justice

Programs (OJP) Financial Guide, other internal OJP

policies, and grant administration procedures.



	
		


The Victim Compensation and Victim Assistance grant

programs are supported by moneys from the Crime Victims

Fund (Fund), established by the 1984 Victims of Crime

Act. The Fund is supported, not by tax dollars, but by

fines, penalty assessments, and bond forfeitures collected

from convicted Federal offenders. OVC distributes more

than 90 percent of the Fund’s deposits directly to States

for compensation and assistance services for victims and

survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse,

drunk driving, homicide, and other crimes.

		
	


All 50 States, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin

Islands, and the territory of Guam have established victim

compensation programs. Each program reimburses victims

for crime-related expenses such as medical costs, mental

health counseling, funeral and burial costs, and lost

wages or loss of support when other financial resources,

such as private insurance and offender restitution, do

not cover the loss. From fiscal year (FY) 1986 through

FY 2000, OVC will have distributed $854,117,429 in

VOCA compensation grant funds.

		
	


All States and territories receive an annual VOCA

victim assistance grant. All States, the District of

Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico

receive a base amount of $500,000. The territories

of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American

Samoa each receives a base amount of $200,000.

Additional funds are distributed based on population.

VOCA funds, awarded to States each year, support

more than 5,000 community-based organizations that

serve crime victims. From FY 1986 through FY 2000,

States will have received $1,966,053,713 in VOCA

victim assistance grants.


		

The State Compensation and Assistance Division

monitors State and local implementation of formula/

block grants by reviewing States’ performance reports

and by conducting periodic onsite visits. Division

staff is available to provide technical assistance on

the allowable use of VOCA funds. The Division also

initiates corrective actions with States when programs

are not in compliance with the requirements outlined

by the VOCA Grant Program Guidelines.
U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Office for Victims of Crime

Washington, D.C. 20531

Official Business

Penalty for Private Use $300



	

	



	

PRESORTED STANDARD

POSTAGE & FEES PAID

DOJ/OVC

Permit No. G-91


		


	

		

To enhance skills, expand knowledge of emerging

issues, and increase collaborative opportunities, SCAD

conducts training and technical assistance meetings

and conferences for VOCA grant recipients, victim

service providers, and affiliated professionals who

serve crime victims. The Division supports mentoring

by encouraging administrators from different States to

share technical assistance and skills training. When

administrators request assistance, OVC provides suitable

mentors through the Training and Technical Assistance

Center (TTAC). Further, OVC covers associated costs

such as trainer compensation, travel expenses, and

materials. As it supports State victim assistance and

compensation programs, the Division collaborates and

coordinates with the National Association of Crime

Victim Compensation Boards, the National Center for

Victims of Crime and the National Organization for

Victim Assistance.

	
		



	
	

Close collaboration with State programs and

national crime victim organizations has made the

State Compensation and Assistance Division uniquely

aware of VOCA’s impact on crime victims’ lives.

Consequently, the Division recommends and initiates

actions to improve crime victim assistance and crime

victim compensation grant programs at the Federal,

State, and local levels. Examples of such efforts by

the Division include recommendations for legislative

amendments to VOCA and periodical reissuance of the

Grant Program Guidelines.



	

For more information about the Office for Victims of

Crime, the State Crime Victim Compensation and

Assistance Grant Programs, and the Training and

Technical Assistance Center, contact the following:

OVC ........................................................... 202–307–5983

OVC Web Site ............................ www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/

OVC Resource Center ........................... 1–800–627–6872

OVC Resource Center Web Site................. www.ncjrs.org

FS000226

Revised February 2000