Victims of Crime
In 2006 U.S. residents age 12 or older experienced an estimated 25 million crimes, according to findings from the National Crime Victimization Survey. Of these victimizations, approximately 24 percent (6 million) were crimes of violence; approximately 75 percent (18.8 million) were property crimes; and approximately 1 percent was personal thefts.
OJP's Office for Victims of Crime provides funding for some 5,500 victim assistance programs serving 4 million crime victims each year and state victim compensation programs that serve an additional 180,000 victims. Fines collected by U.S. Attorneys, the U.S. Courts, and the Bureau of Prisons are deposited into the Crime Victims Fund, which is supported solely by fines, penalties, and bond forfeitures paid by federal criminal offenders, not taxpayers. Passed in October 2001, the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act (USA PATRIOT Act) provided authority for the deposit of gifts, bequests, or donations from private entities into the fund beginning in fiscal 2002. These funds are available for grant awards the following year.
For FY 2008, Congress authorized OVC to spend $590 million for programs and $50 million for the Antiterrorism Emergency Reserve. In FY 2008, $171,349,000 will be awarded for victim compensation. The remainder goes for victim assistance, statutory set asides to support costs associated with victim specialist personnel in U.S. Attorneys' offices, victim specialists at the FBI, support for the Victim Notification System, and discretionary activities such as demonstration projects, training, technical assistance, program evaluation and compliance, fellowships, clinical internships, and other assistance to improve and expand the delivery of services to federal crime victims.
Funding Opportunities
- Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program
- Helping Outreach Programs to Expand
- International Terrorism Victim Expense Reimbursement Program (ITVERP)
- Victim Assistance
- Victim Compensation
Publications
- National Crime Victims' Rights Week Resource Guide
- A Multimedia Program for Physically Injured Crime Victims
- A Social Work Response: Building Skills to Strengthen Survivors
- Child Victimizers: Violent Offenders and Their Victims
- Crime and Victims Statistics
- Hate Crimes Reported by Victims and Police
- Identifying Victims Using DNA: A Guide for Families
- Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 2006 National Report
- Learning About Victims of Crime: A Training Model for Victim Service Providers and Allied Professionals
- Providing Services to Victims Viewing a Trial at Multiple Locations
- Rural Victim Assistance: A Victim/Witness Guide for Rural Prosecutors
- Understanding DNA Evidence: A Guide for Victim Service Providers
- Victims of Crime Act Crime Victims Fund
- Working With Victims of Gun Violence
