The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces federal civil rights laws and other provisions that prohibit discrimination by recipients of federal financial assistance from OJP, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), and other covered entities.  These civil rights laws and other provisions prohibit recipients and other covered entities from discriminating in services and employment because of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, and sex.  Recipients are also prohibited from discriminating in services because of age.

OCR efforts include:

• Ensuring that recipients of financial assistance from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) comply with applicable federal civil rights laws.
• Implementing a national civil rights enforcement strategy which strengthens the capacity of state agencies that administer the Department’s formula grants to monitor subrecipients’ compliance with federal civil rights laws.

Resources

• Grantee Resources
• Filing a Complaint
• Information for Advocates

OCR Leadership

Abigail Nurse
Acting Director

OCR Contacts

OCR Email
Main Line: 202-307-0690
Fax: 202-354-4380
TDD/TTY: 202-307-2027