FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE???????? ??????????????????????? ??????????????????????? ??????????????????????? ??????????? OVC
FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2001?????????? ??????????????????????? ??????????????????????? ??????????????????????? ??????????? 202/307-0703
OVER 250 VICTIM SERVICE PROFESSIONALS RECEIVE
STATE-OF-THE-ART TRAINING AT NATIONAL VICTIM ASSISTANCE ACADEMY
WASHINGTON, D.C. ??? Victim service professionals from across
the nation received comprehensive and innovative training at the seventh annual
National Victim Assistance Academy, sponsored by the Justice Department?s
Office for Victims of Crime (OVC).? The
Academy, which concluded today, has now trained more than 1,650 victim service
professionals since it began in 1995.
?Through the Academy, we have now trained
students in every state and territory, as well as seven other nations,?
said? OVC Acting Director Kathryn
Turman.? ?Not only do they learn, but
the students? diverse experiences in victim services help inform us and their
colleagues.?
The week-long academy was held
simultaneously at the California State University-Fresno (CSUF); Washburn
University in Topeka, Kansas; and the Medical University of South
Carolina.? Other cosponsors include the Victims? Assistance Legal Organization (VALOR) and the University of New Haven.
The 2001 class included delegates from
every area of the criminal justice system, specialists in sexual assault,
domestic violence and child victimization, as well as those who serve elderly
victims, survivors of homicide victims and victims of juvenile offenders.? Representatives from federal, state, local
and tribal victim service agencies were selected through a national application
process based on geographic, cultural and professional diversity.?
Leaders in the fields of victimology, criminal justice
and victims? rights teach the program.
Faculty from co-sponsoring academic institutions, speakers from national
crime victims? organizations and local, state and federal victims? rights and
criminal justice experts also participated.
In addition to the opportunity to earn academic credit in criminology
from CSUF, students were able to earn credit in psychology from the Medical
University of South Carolina and credit in social work/criminal justice studies
from Washburn University.
The 40-hour course covers over 36 different subject
areas through lectures, interactive exercises, working groups, and faculty
mentoring groups.? Topics included child
victimization, domestic violence, sexual assault, drunk driving, campus crime,
financial fraud, the link between substance abuse and victimization,
communicating with victims, international issues in victim service and serving
the needs of under-served victims of crime.
Participants were instructed on how to go on-line to learn about victims
services at OVC?s Website.
OVC funds the Academy through a grant from the Crime
Victims Fund, created by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA).? The Crime Victims Fund receives money from
the fines and penalties of convicted federal criminals -- not from taxpayer
dollars.
For more information about OVC contact the OVC
Resource Center at 1-800/627-6872, or visit OVC?s Website at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc.? For more information about the National Victim Assistance
Academy, contact VALOR at 8180 Greensboro Drive, Suite 1070, McLean, Virginia
22102 or telephone number 703/748-0811 or 1-877/748-NVAA (6822).
???????????? Information
about other Office of Justice Programs bureaus and program offices is
available
at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/.? Media should contact OJP?s Office of
Congressional and
Public
Affairs at 202/307-0703.
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OVC
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