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Victims

2020 National Crime Victims' Rights Week Message from the OVC Director

Dear Colleague,

Each April, we pause to celebrate the many advances in crime victim support in our nation: victim engagement in the criminal justice system, increasing availability of services, and recognition of rights for all victims and survivors. We also seek to ensure justice for those victims whose voices have yet to be heard.

At the end of March, I was sworn in as the...

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by OVC Director Jessica E. Hart During a Webinar Hosted by the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA)

Good afternoon! Thank you to the wonderful people at NOVA who worked hard to make today's webinar happen. And a special thanks to Claire Selib for offering me the opportunity to introduce myself to the NOVA community.

I was appointed the Director of OVC in late March, in the midst of the COVID spread, so this has been an unusual time to join OVC. But...

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by OVC Director Jessica E. Hart During a Webinar Hosted by the Ohio Attorney General's Office

Good morning! Thank you, Attorney General Yost, and all the staff in your office who worked hard to make today's webinar happen. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to introduce myself and share a bit about the Office for Victims of Crime.

As previously mentioned, I was appointed the Director of OVC, a component of the Office of Justice Programs at the Department of Justice, in...

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Message from OVC Director Jessica Hart

Today is the fifteenth anniversary of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. In the shadow of a pandemic that has disproportionately affected senior populations, we come together to raise awareness about elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

For too long elder abuse—a term that encompasses physical abuse, financial fraud, scams and exploitation, caregiver neglect and abandonment, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse—was a hidden epidemic. But as the...

Clarification of Allowable Costs for Victim Assistance Programs


OVC anticipates that it will upload the final VOCA formula victim assistance rule during the first week of July. It will become effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. In the interim, OVC is sending this communication to VOCA Administrators to again clarify what is allowable under the current guidelines for transitional housing and legal assistance.

Regarding legal assistance, victim assistance programs can...

The Use of VOCA Victim Assistance Program Funds for APS Intake Workers


In all states, some form of adult protective services (APS) exists to receive reports of elder abuse. Some states utilize a statewide hotline for receiving reports of elder abuse (intake), while other states maintain a system of local level intake. Intake is conducted, among other things, to determine whether victim services should be the only referral or whether a more system-delivered response is indicated (i.e...

SARS Clarification, VOCApedia Monthly Update, and Other November Updates


A Copy of an Email Sent by Kathrina S. Peterson, OVC Acting Deputy Director, on December 17, 2019

Good Evening Administrators,

We are excited to share with you many updates from OVC. This email is long, but full of good nuggets of information for both Compensation and Assistance Administrators. Keep reading and don’t panic!

SARS Update & Clarification: We recognize that we issued conflicting...

FY 2020 VOCA Assistance and Compensation Solicitations and Allocation Tables


The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has released the FY 2020 VOCA Victim Compensation and Victim Assistance allocation tables:

OVC is accepting applications for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Assistance and Compensation formula solicitations. Applications for both solicitations are due by Monday, June 1, 2020.

OVC FY 2020 VOCA Victim Assistance

All applicants must register in OJP’s Grants Management System...