NCJ Number
250084
Date Published
July 2016
Length
43 pages
Annotation
The U.S. Justice Department's Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has established this final rule to implement the victim assistance formula grant program ("Victim Assistance Program"), which is authorized by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 ("VOCA").
Abstract
VOCA authorizes OVC to provide an annual grant to each State and eligible territory for the financial support of services to crime victims by eligible crime victim assistance programs. Grant awards are drawn from the Crime Victims Fund. The final rule presented here codifies and updates the existing VOCA Victim Assistance Program Guidelines, so as to reflect changes in OVC policy, needs of the crime victim services field, and VOCA itself. This rule became effective August 8, 2016. Most provisions in this final rule are substantively the same as the corresponding provisions of the Guidelines. The final rule reorganizes the program rule into six major divisions as follows: 1) General Provisions; 2) State Administering Agency (SAA) Program Requirements; 3) SAA Use of Funds for Administration and Training; 4) Sub-Recipient Program Requirements; 5) Sub-Recipient Project Requirements; and 6) Sub-Recipient Allowable/ Unallowable Costs. The content of each of these sections is summarized, with attention to any changes introduced by the rule. Overall, the rule clarifies and updates existing Guidelines, but does not alter the existing program structure. Updating the Guidelines clearly and accurately reflects the statutory parameters to facilitate State compliance with VOCA and thus avoid potentially costly consequences of non-compliance. Reader aids are listed