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VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT VICTIM ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM 2002 WISCONSIN STATE WIDE ASSISTANCE REPORT Prepared By: Wisconsin Department of Justice 17 West Main Street Madison, WI 53703-0000 tel: (608)267-5251
STATE FUNDING INFORMATION
A. THE ANNUAL AMOUNT ALLOCATED TO THE VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROJECTS: 1. Appropriations $ 8,397,600 2. Criminal Fines and Penalities $ 0 3. Assessments $ 6,816,400 4. Other $ 0 TOTAL:$ 15,214,000
B. TOTAL NUMBER OF AGENCIES FUNDED FROM THE FEDERAL GRANT: 75
C. NUMBER OF SUBGRANTS FUNDED FROM THIS FEDERAL GRANT: 83
VICTIM STATISTICS
A. THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS SERVED BY TYPE OF VICTIMIZATION:
NO. OF NO. OF VICTIMS SERVED VICTIMS SERVED 1,933 1. Child Physical Abuse 795 7. Adults Molested as Children 4,677 2. Child Sexual Abuse 2,283 8. Survivors of Homicide Victims 382 3. DUI/DWI Crashes 1,281 9. Robbery 16,624 4. Domestic Violence 2,530 10. Assualt 3,222 5. Adult Sexual Assault 5,810 11. Other 539 6. Elder Abuse TOTAL: 40,076
B. THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS WHO RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING SERVICES:
NO. OF VICTIMS SERVED 11,674 1. Crisis Counseling 14,519 2. Followup 2,695 3. Therapy 2,084 4. Group Treatment/Support 599 5. Shelter/Safehouse 18,294 6. Information/Referral (in-person) 14,077 7. Criminal Justice Support/Advocacy 519 8. Emergency Financial Assistance 4,279 9. Emergency Legal Advocacy 4,992 10. Assistance in filing Compensation Claims 8,078 11. Personal Advocacy 46,776 12. Telephone contact Informational/Referral 0 13. Other TOTAL: 128,586
A. EFFORTS TO PROMOTE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AID TO CRIME VICTIMS: VOCA subgrantees in Wisconsin are active in a variety of ways to coordinate public and private efforts to crime victims in their communities. Wisconsin VOCA subgrantees state that they are involved in activities, which include: * involvement in various committees in our community, including Crime Victim Task Force, Coordinated Community Response Teams, Child Abuse Council and working agreements with Social Services, Law Enforcement and Healthcare, Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence response teams, . * collaboration efforts with other agencies/organizations that may act as a primary referral source, such as law enforcement, the District Attorney's Office, Judges, the Family Court Commissioner, Probation and Parole, Social Services, Red Cross, Mental Health Agencies, the Office on Aging, the YMCA and the Salvation Army. * written collaboration agreements with partner agencies. * frequent contact with numerous statewide and local victims rights groups, such as Victim/Witness Coordinators, District Attorneys, POMC, SADD, Compassionate Friends and numerous other mental health facilities. * volunteers distribute printed material from public and private service providers to victims throughout the area. Outreach efforts such as: news releases, public service announcements, newspaper ads, posters and distribution of pamphlets. * Coordination of community-wide events to inform individuals about services. We coordinate these events with other crime victim services providers, which allows us to work together and learn about each other's programs. * events such as Take Back the Night, Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Awareness Months, Crime Victim Candlelight Vigils, Crime Victim Rights Week, and ribbon campaigns. * public service announcements. * two-part cable television show produced by staff of the Bolton Refuge House and community television. The "round table" format brought together a local police official, district attorney, SANE nurse and VOCA advocate to discuss local aspects of sexual assault victim issues and services. * staff has distributed cards, brochures and flyers describing VOCA funded services to law enforcement, health care providers, clergy, schools, girl scout troops, human service agencies and local businesses. * working with area medical schools to train and educate students and interns. * quarterly meetings with other victim service agencies to exchange ideas and share cases. in the event of a crisis situation within the community, we are involved in a protocol including area agencies to assist primary and secondary victims in such an effort. * coordinating efforts with community AODA professionals. * board membership on state coalitions.
B. EFFORTS TAKEN TO SERVE FEDERAL CRIME VICTIMS: Few VOCA subgrantees perceive themselves as ever providing services to victims of Federal crimes. However, some efforts are underway to serve federal crime victims. Wisconsin VOCA subgrantees state that these activities include: * close coordination of services with Native American Reservations. * coordinating services with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). * services are provided to victims of a bank robbery and those requesting debriefing services. * relationships with the federal victim/witness coordinators exist so as need arises, services are provided. * quarterly meetings of the Wisconsin Crisis Response Network, a consortium of government and private agency representatives that focus on linking communities who are developing responses to large scale events and/or terrorism. * the Victim Resource Center funded a four-person team from the Wisconsin Office of Crime Victim Services to help the New York Crime Victims Board assist victims of the September 11 terrorist attack. advocates attend the U.S. Attorney's Office Bank Teller Support Groups. * we utilize the video "After the Robbery" that was produced by the United States Attorney's office Eastern District of Wisconsin to provide debriefings for personnel impacted by bank robberies. * advocates attend quarterly meetings, coordinating resource efforts with bank security and management personnel, voicing victim/teller concerns and rights, advocating on behalf of victim/tellers directly to their employers regarding important issues such as safety in the workplace. * Office of Victim Services and Programs provides services to federal crime victims for federal offenders who are housed in a Wisconsin prison through reciprocal agreements and for federal offenders who are required to register with the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry. Federal crime victims are free to call the Victim Advocate via the unrestricted toll free number for services including information, support and referral.
C. ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE THE DELIVERY OF VICTIM SERVICES: Wisconsin VOCA Subgrantees report the following activities designed to strengthen their ability to provide victim services: * outreach activities, such as presentations that give victims information about how they can access VOCA funded services. * staff continue to attend training/conference to update their skills. Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault Training Opportunities Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence Training Opportunities Midwest Conference on Child Abuse NOVA Conference * program access and effectiveness is monitored by comparing the actual number of persons served in the project to the goals stated in the VOCA proposal. Additionally, issues of access are assessed by comparing the demographics of the community to the demographics of the actual persons served. * staff meetings with referral sources to improve communication. * strategic planning sessions. * advanced training for agency victim service advocates. * extensive training for volunteers who are new to the crime victim service agency. * monthly staff/volunteer meetings allow staff to share their cases and provide feedback to other staff/volunteers. * evaluation forms are filled out by clients and referral sources. * work with the University in the area to create a more useful evaluation tool. * exit interview with shelter residents prior to their departure to measure their satisfaction with service provision. * the Executive Director and a member of the Board of Directors meet monthly with a Women/Formerly Battered Women's Advisory Committee to discuss services of the agency. * outreach to groups from diverse populations (Southeastern Asian Coalition, Hispanic Community Center, African-American Coalition, and other ethnic groups. * an interesting project for us this year is an anonymous sexual assault questionnaire done at the local community college. The respondents were chosen randomly. Our purpose was to better understand the sexual violence occurring, which is not reported or where victim services are not accessed. Although it was a small sampling, it is clear that victims are experiencing sexual violence and are fearful to report it to police. * establishing a good working relationship with the county coroner to get information for survivors of homicide. * ride-alongs with law enforcement to increase their understanding of our program, which increases our ability to work together. * accreditation through Joint Commission on Accreditations of Health Care Organizations. * development of a client survey, which is mailed to victims who have received our services. This survey is mailed on a quarterly basis and is confidential. * new staff positions are "doubled" with a more experienced advocate until he/she is more comfortable working alone. * we combined the services for domestic violence and sexual assault crime victims, which use to be provided by two different organizations, and put them under one roof. This will allow us to provide victims of sexual assault and domestic violence with better overall services.
D. WAYS VOCA FUNDS HAVE BEEN USED TO ASSIST CRIME VICTIMS: Thank you note from victim for services provided. (7) Case History of Elder domestic and fraud victim. Case History of Hispanic domestic violence victim. Case History of victims seeking restraining orders. Case History of survivors of victims of DWI. (2) Letter to law enforcement for victim assistance from Hospital staff. Evaluation forms by the victims concerning services reseived. Hard copy of ads for a victim service provider.
E. ISSUES OR TRENDS IMPACTING CRIME VICTIM SERVICES: Several notable issues/trends previously reported continue to be of concern to victim service providers while some new issues have emerged. Wisconsin VOCA Subgrantees state that these emerging issues and notable trends include: * child crime victims are becoming much younger. * healthcare is becoming more expensive and insurance companies are becoming more unwilling to pay for therapy. * lack of foster homes for teenage victims of child abuse. * more male victims with more significant injuries. * concerns about how changing economic conditions will affect crime rates. * stays at the shelter are increasing due to lack of affordable housing in the area. * welfare reform and the effect on victims. * due to baby boomers getting older, women coming to the older abused women's groups are "younger" older battered women. * cultural values serve as the basis for the reluctance to participate in the prosecution effort. * the impact on victim services of the State of Wisconsin budget deficit. * since the establishment of our Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), we have seen an increase in the number of rapes reported to law enforcement. * high dual arrest rate. * increasing number of victims with mental illness. * in our county, guns and hunting are so much a part of the culture that some schools close for the week of deer hunting season. The federal firearm law has an effect on a victim's choice of whether to pursue a restraining order. Victims will sometimes chose to pursue a harassment order instead of a domestic abuse restraining order, because they believe that if their perpetrator's guns are taken away, the will become more depressed and angry and then more violent. * lack of affordable housing, child care services and transportation. * increased efforts made by all victim service providers to do more collaborative partnerships. * increase in workplace violence and gang activity. * lack of affordable legal services. * increase in the amount of crimes involving the Internet. * increase in the number of clergy abuse cases. This also includes an increase in the responsiveness of the archdiocese in dealing with this issue. * due to the rapid population growth in our area. The issue of how to provide services effectively while being fiscally responsible is an issue the program cannot avoid. * increase in violent crime involving perpetrators who are youth. * increase in the amount of reported cases of financial abuse and the elderly.
F. USE OF VOCA ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDS: During the reporting period (October 1, 2000 - September 30, 2001), Wisconsin used VOCA Administrative funds from the FFY 1998 as follows: Administrative Funds - $172,963 1. Crime Victim Rights Board - part-time staff and non-legal operating expenses for statutory board to enforce victims' rights. 2. Emergency Assistance Fund - provide limited emergency cash support to victims (e.g. travel cost associated with a crime victim attending a trial of the perpetrator who killed her husband, travel costs for victims in two separate cases, to attend the Crime Victim Rights Hearing). 3. VOCA Grant support positions - funding for various positions that assist in VOCA grant management responsibilities, including Grant Liaison (for onsite program monitoring), VOCA Coordinator for part of the year and clerical support position. 4. Victim Rights Week 2002 - costs of organizing and presenting annual Victim Rights Week ceremony in State Capitol. 5. VOCA Management Costs - ongoing expenses incurred in connection with VOCA grant management, including staff travel, training, equipment, postage, printing, phones, computer support, fiscal support, organizational dues. 6. The Wisconsin Department of Justice annually publishes the Domestic Abuse Incident Report. Data for this report comes from completed Domestic Abuse Reporting Forms completed by staff within county district attorneys offices. This report gives us a snapshot of the impact of domestic violence in Wisconsin. In reviewing this report, our office has found that the report lacks the ability to give complete data in many areas. For instance, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin's most populous county, has been unable to provide this information for our report due to lack of adequate staff. VOCA administrative funds allowed our office to pay for a staff person to provide this information from Milwaukee County from October 1, 2001-September 30, 2002. VOCA administrative funds also allowed us to pay, a portion of the cost for a consulting firm and the Department of Justice Bureau of Computing Services, to evaluate the Domestic Abuse Report in order to help formulate ways to better provide this information in the future. Improving this report also allows us to get a better idea of the true impact of domestic violence and how VOCA funds can be best utilized to meet the needs of victims in Wisconsin. 7. Applicants for VOCA funding (October 1, 2002-September 30. 2003) were subject to an open competition for the new funding cycle. VOCA administrative funds were used to pay for expenses associated with the open competition. VOCA administrative funds paid for the Department of Justice Office of Crime Victim Services to sponsor a teleconference for agencies interested in applying for VOCA funding. The teleconference allowed our office to describe the competitive application process and outline VOCA guidelines. VOCA administrative funds also allowed us to pay a small honorarium to the application reviewers and also paid for other expenses involved in completing the competitive application process. 8. VOCA administrative funds paid for agency membership with the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault (WCASA), Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WCADV) and the National Association of Victim Assistance Administrators (NAVAA). 9. The Wisconsin Department of Justice Office of Crime Victim Services has received many requests from victim service agencies around the state for more information on the Crime Victim Compensation Program and other services provided by our office. VOCA administrative funds allowed us to begin looking into the feasibility of providing a statewide training for all victim service providers. Training Funds - $5,261 1. VOCA training funds were used to hire a consultant who works in the child protective services (CPS) field to provide training for domestic violence advocates, sexual assault advocates and child protective service employees on the role of the CPS worker in child abuse investigations. Training was also done on how victim service providers and CPS workers can more effectively work together to improve services to victims. Two training sessions were held in May and September 2002. 2. VOCA training funds were used to pay for expenses for a Sexual Assault Advocate and 2 Victim/Witness Coordinators to present a workshop at two of the fall regional meetings regarding how Advocates and V/W Coordinators can work together more effectively to benefit victims of crime. 3. VOCA training funds were used to pay for the presentation and travel time for a presenter to facilitate a discussion on "Restorative Justice and Victims of Crime". This presentation was done to train the Wisconsin Crime Victims Council.