Doj Awards $57 Million To Five States For Crime Victim Compensation
Distribution of $57 million to five states for compensation to victims of crime has been announced by the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs’ (OJP) Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) . The money was allocated as follows: Washington received $4 million; Connecticut, $5 million; Ner York $21.8 million; Michigan $11.7 million, and Illinois, $14.5 million.
Money for the annual awards comes from the Crime Victims Fund–which is supported primarily by fines paid by federal criminal offenders–not taxpayers. The fines are collected by United States Attorneys’ Offices, the U.S. Courts and the Bureau of Prisons. Fines collected in one year are deposited into the Fund and are available for grant awards the following year. The USA Patriot Act of 2001 allowed private gifts, donations and bequests to the Crime Victims Fund.
OJP’s Office for Victims of Crime is committed to enhancing the nation’s capacity to assist crime victims and provide leadership to promote justice and healing for crime victims.
Over 90 percent of Fund deposits are distributed annually by OVC to states and territories to support state victim compensation and victim assistance programs. Remaining funds are used for training and technical assistance, national demonstration projects and to improve handling of child abuse cases in Indian communities. In addition, these funds support victim witness coordinator and advocate positions for U.S. Attorney Offices, victim specialist positions in the FBI and a federal victim notification system.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. OJP is headed by an Assistant Attorney General and comprises 5 component bureaus and 2 offices: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and the Office for Victims of Crime, as well as the Executive Office for Weed and Seed, and the Office of the Police Corps and Law Enforcement Education.
Information about OJP programs, publications, and conferences is available on the OJP Web site, http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov.