FRANKFORT, Ky. – Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced Oct. 16 that his Office of Victims Advocacy (OVA) will receive $213,196 in grant funding from the Crime Victims Fund (the Fund) to provide direct assistance to victims of crime. The funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) under the Victim of Crimes Act (VOCA) grant program, which supports state assistance programs in providing essential services to survivors of crime.
“Our Office of Victims Advocacy serves Kentucky’s crime victims by providing direct assistance for survivors and their families,” Cameron said. “We are grateful to the Department of Justice and Attorney General Barr for their commitment to providing federal resources to support state programs, like ours, that aid victim in understanding their rights and rebuilding their lives.”
The 2020-2021 VOCA grant will assist the Attorney General’s Office of Victims Advocacy in providing direct services for crime victims and will supply resources for personnel engaging in administrative activities, training, and travel-related to serving victims of crime.
In addition to assisting crime victims and their families, the OVA is dedicated to improving victim-centered and trauma-informed investigation and prosecution and strengthening victim service systems.
Established in 1984, the Victims of Crime Act created the Fund, which supports the grant program administered by the OVC within the DOJ. Each year, the Fund supports various programs and services focused on helping victims as they recover from the trauma of crime. The OVA is a sub-recipient of the grant and will receive funding from the DOJ through the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.
“Our advocates work hard to ensure Kentucky’s crime victims receive the support they need to recover from the devastating effects of crime,” said Denise Durbin, executive director of the Office of Victims Services. “We are thankful for the Grants Management Division within the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for their support as we assist Kentucky’s crime victims.”
The fund does not include taxpayer dollars and is financed by criminal fines, forfeited appearance bonds, penalties, and special assessments collected by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, federal courts, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
For a list of 2020 -2021 VOCA program award recipients, click here.
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