Victim Services Resources: Updates & New Ideas

Michael Dever, BJA; Anne Hamilton, OVW;

Steve Derene, VOCA; Sheriff Ronnie Baldwin, Cross County AR

Victim Services Resources: Goal To provide attendees with:

Viable resource options for seed money to launch SAVIN and SAVIN enhancements;

Resource options for the more challenging reality of sustained funding for these critical services;

Updates on federal funding and practical options for state-level fiscal support; and,

Opportunity for collaborative information-sharing

Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification (SAVIN) Program and Funding

Michael Dever, BJA Policy AdvisorApril 9, 2008

Optional SAVIN Notification Types Offender Custody Status

Jails and/or Prisons Release, escape, furlough, work release, transfer

Court Events Hearing reminders/changes, pre-trial conferences, etc.

Final Disposition Post Incarceration

Community Corrections Parole/Clemency Hearings Sex Offender Movements

Orders of Protection Attempts to purchase firearms Services, terms/conditions, hearing events, pending expiration

SAVIN: Guidelines & Standards Document Purpose to:

1) help States understand the benefits of the SAVIN Program; 2) help States implement successful SAVIN Programs; and 3) establish national standards on how to build and operate

systems to support the SAVIN Programs.

Found on-line at: www.it.gov/documents/ijis_savin_guidelines_standards.pdf

Key SAVIN Principles Be Victim Focused

Be Safety Driven

Provide for Victim/Survivor Confidentiality

Provide for Autonomy Users’ right to access or decline services at any point without

explanation or consequences

SAVIN Solicitation Requirements Statement of the Problem Project Design Capabilities/Competencies Budget and Staffing- 50% Match

Cash and In-Kind Assessment-Outcome Measures

Service Usage Feedback from practitioners and users

Sustainability

SAVIN Funding FY 2005-2007 BJA currently funds 27 statewide systems for

development or enhancements:AL-AR-CA-CO-DE-ID-IN-IA-KY-LA-MO-MS-MT-NC-ND-NY-OK-PA-SC-TN-TX-UT-VA-VT-WA-WI-WY

BJA Grant awards total over $24.7 million to-date

SAVIN Funding FY 2008 19 Applications received for either development or

enhancement funding

$500,000 cap on enhancement funding

$2,250,000 cap on development funding

Grant award announcements expected by July 2008

Reporting Requirements Narrative Progress Reports (semi-annually)

Financial Status Reports (quarterly)

Performance Metrics (semi-annually)

Monitoring Visits (periodic)

Audits (periodic)

BJA Contact Information Senior Policy Advisor David Lewis

Phone: 202-616-7829

Policy Advisor Michael Dever Phone: 202-616-9188

State Policy Advisors: http://www.ojp.gov/BJA/resource/stcont.pdf

Office on Violence Against Women

Ms. Anne Hamilton, Program Specialist, Office on Violence Against Women

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Purpose of VAWA

Role of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Relevant VAWA Funding Options

Services, Training, Officers and Prosecutors (STOP) Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies & Enforcement of

Protective Orders Program (Arrest) Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and

Stalking Program (Rural) Technical Assistance (supports all OVW grantees)

OVW-STOP Grants STOP grants are intended to support states and territories

to develop and strengthen the criminal justice system responses to violence against women and to support enhanced victims’ services.

State level multidisciplinary collaboration re distribution Restrictions: 25% Law enforcement; 25% prosecution; 5% court;

30% victims’ services; 15% discretionary (per VAWA) 75% federal award; 25% state and/or sub-grantee match

Possible SAVIN Options Automated protective order notification and/or firearm alerts

Funding cycle: 2 years

OVW-GTEA Grants Arrest grants are intended to encourage states, local, and

tribal governments and state, local and tribal courts to treat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking as serious violations of criminal law requiring coordinated involvement of the entire criminal justice system

Certification eligibility Purpose areas of Arrest program

Possible SAVIN Options Automated protective order notification and/or firearm alerts

Funding cycle: 2 years

OVW-Rural Grants Rural grants are intended to support projects that

enhance the safety of child, youth, and adult victims and to address and prevent domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking in rural jurisdictions definition of Rural area purpose areas of Rural program

Possible SAVIN Options Automated protective order notification and/or firearm alerts Funding cycle: 2 years

OVW-Technical Assistance The Technical Assistance (TA) grants are intended to

advance the goals of OVW by providing grantees and others in the field with the training, expertise, and problem-solving strategies they need to meet the challenges of addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking.

Possible SAVIN options Grant application to provide SAVIN-related TA Request to receive OVW TA for existing or planned SAVIN

services Funding cycle: 2 years

Victims of Crime Act (VOCA)

Steve Derene, Executive Director, National Association of VOCA Assistant Administrators (NAVAA)

Crime Victims Fund Revenues from Federal Criminal Fines. Annual cap (since 2000) on obligations. Fund supports:

Children’s Justice Act Federal set-asides (USAO, FBI, VNS) OVC Discretionary Grants (T/TA; federal crime victims) State compensation grants State victim assistance grants OJP management and administration; OAAM Antiterrorism Emergency Reserve – above cap

State Victim Assistance Grants Whatever’s left over Declining since 2006

VOCA State Victim Assistance Grants State grants:

base amount + population percentage. Purposes:

emotional and physical needs of crime victims; stabilize their lives after a victimization; understand and participate in the criminal justice system; and safety and security.

Direct victim services Administrative and training – up to 5%

“promote innovative approaches to serving crime victims such as through the use of technology.”

VOCA Victim Assistance Grants Subgrants Minimum allocations (10%) Subgrant eligibility requirements

Public or private nonprofit Non-VOCA financial support Use volunteers Assist w/compensation Community coordination No discrimination against victims disagree w/prosecution

Allowable costs include Advanced Technologies, including “automated victim

notification systems.”

VOCA Funds for automated victim notification systems 2007 survey of 56 VOCA administrative agencies; 27

responses. Does not used VOCA funds = 15 Previously used VOCA funds = 7 Currently use VOCA funds = 5

Previously27%

Currently15%

No VOCA55%

Use of VOCA Funds Source: 3 subgrant funds only; 2 subgrant and administrative

funds. Scope: 3 Statewide and local programs; 2 Statewide only. Sponsoring agency:

3 statewide programs = Prosecutors’ and/or Sheriffs’ Associations one = VOCA agency and state DV coalition one = state university.

All use state funds as match; one also uses volunteer hours. All but one subgrant includes direct services in addition to

notification.

Viable Options for Seed & Sustained Funding

Sheriff Ronnie Baldwin, Cross County, Arkansas

Victim Services Resources: Updates & New Ideas

Open Collaboration Opportunity

Full Panel & Conference Attendees