U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

	



Through its Federal Crime Victims Division (FCVD), the

Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is committed to ensuring

that Federal crime victims’ rights are protected and that they

receive needed services through initiatives described in this

fact sheet. Also, OVC coordinates victim services offered by

the Federal Government and other public agencies.

	





The Victim Assistance in Indian Country (VAIC) Program

makes awards directly to Indian Tribes under Federal

criminal jurisdiction to establish reservation-based victim

assistance services in remote areas of Indian Country where

limited services are available for crime victims. Since 1988,

OVC has awarded $8.2 million to fund more than 52 programs.

Activities that are funded include hiring victim advocates,

establishing a 24-hour crisis hot line, recruiting victim service

volunteers, transporting victims in an emergency, and

providing bilingual counseling services.

Approximately 20 VAIC programs were awarded competitive

funding in 1999. In 1998, VAIC programs served more than

8,316 victims of domestic violence, child physical abuse, elder

abuse, assaults, DUI/DWI crashes, and survivors of homicide.

The Children’s Justice Act (CJA) Partnerships for Indian

Communities makes awards directly to federally recognized

tribes so that they may determine methods of investigation,

prosecution, and handling of child physical and sexual abuse

cases that reduce trauma for child victims. A total of $1.5 million

is available annually for this program. Since CJA was established

in 1989, more than 38 programs have been developed.

These programs have helped to: (1) train multidisciplinary

teams; (2) revise Tribal codes to address child sexual abuse;

(3) establish child advocacy services for children involved

in Tribal court processes; (4) develop protocols for reporting,

investigating, and prosecuting child sexual abuse cases;

(5) improve coordination that minimizes the number of

child interviews; (6) improve case management and

treatment services; and (7) hire specialized staff such as

designated investigators and prosecutors to handle child

victim cases.

	





In 1988, OVC established the Federal Crime Victim

Assistance Fund to assist Federal victims in need of

immediate assistance that was unavailable through any

other source. Since that time, OVC has set aside funds

each year to aid victims of Federal crime. These funds,

administered by the FCVD, are made available to U.S.

Attorneys’ Offices and the Federal Bureau of Investigation

(FBI) through reimbursable agreements. Federal Crime

Victim Assistance funds have been used to provide crisis

counseling, pay temporary shelter costs, cover travel for

victims’ participation in criminal justice proceedings,

defray emergency medical treatment expenses, and hire

interpreters for nonsubpoenaed victims. In addition to

administering this fund, the FCVD also provides training

and technical assistance in the field.



	

The FCVD provides Federal criminal justice personnel

with numerous training opportunities on effective

intervention with Federal crime victims. The training

includes programs on handling cases and the development

of victim/witness policies and procedures for Federal

criminal prosecutors, investigators, and victim/witness

coordinators. The Federal Crime Victims Division, in

cooperation with the Federal Law Enforcement Training

Center, the FBI, and other Federal agencies, provides

victim/witness training to more than 70 different Federal

law enforcement agencies nationwide.

October 1999
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

Since 1984, the FCVD has worked with U.S. Attorneys

and their staff to develop strategies and initiatives to assist

them in complying with Federal crime victims’ legislation

and improving their response to Tribal, military, and other

Federal criminal justice personnel within their districts.

Through the District Specific Training Initiative, OVC

has provided funding and personnel support for diverse

conferences such as a Hostage Negotiation Training

Conference; a Four Corners Indian Country Conference;

a Victim Assistance Conference for military and other

Federal criminal justice personnel; and a nationwide

domestic violence teleconference, as well as providing

scholarships for conference participants from remote areas.

Through the biennial National Indian Nations Conference,

FCVD provides training and technical assistance to victim

service providers, criminal and Tribal justice personnel,

victims, victim advocates, volunteers, and other allied

professionals that serve the needs of victims in Indian Country.

Under the Children’s Justice Act or Victim Assistance in

Indian Country Grant Programs, comprehensive skillsbuilding training and technical assistance is also provided

to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations.



OVC monitors Federal agency compliance with the Attorney

General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance for

fair treatment of Federal crime victims and witnesses

required by the Victim and Witness Protection Act of 1982

and other Federal statutes. U.S. Department of Justice

agencies are required to report annually to the U.S. Attorney

General, through OVC, on their “Best Efforts” in ensuring

that the statutory rights were provided to Federal crime

victims in the previous year.

	

The FCVD prepares and disseminates information through

the OVC Resource Center regarding services to victims

of Federal crime. OVC has helped produce a number of

information resources, including videos, brochures, and

resource packages. Some of these include the following:

• Resource Package for Children Required To Testify in

Federal Court.

• B.J. Learns About Federal and Tribal Court — a video.

• Financial Assistance for Crime Victims — a video.

• Inside Federal Court — a video.

• Bitter Earth: Child Sexual Abuse in Indian Country —

a video.

• White Collar Crime/Fraud Victim Resource Packages.

• After the Robbery: Crisis to Resolution — a video.

• Young Once, Indian Forever — a video.

• Justice for Victims — a video.

• Building VAIC Programs in Indian Country.



More information about the Office for Victims of Crime is

available through the following sources:

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

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

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

OVC Resource Center Web Site ........... http://www.ncjrs.org

FS000209

Updated October 1999