2015 OVC Report to the Nation, Fiscal Years 2013-2014: Building Capacity Through Research, Innovation, Technology, and Training

• NCJ Number: 248907
• Date Published: August 2015
• Length: 4 pages
• Publication Series: OVC Fact Sheets
• Agencies: OVC
• Publication Type: Report (Annual/Periodic); Program/Project Description

Annotation

This report describes the work of the U.S. Justice Department's Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) for fiscal years 2013-2014, with attention to its goal of capacity building.

Abstract

In 2010, OVC conducted the first extensive examination of the victim assistance field in almost 15 years. The results of this comprehensive study were published in 2013 in the Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services Final Report. The four key recommendations of the report are to conduct strategic planning in victim assistance; support research that builds a body of evidence-based knowledge in the field; ensure flexibility in legislation, policy, and programming to address both enduring and emerging crime victim assistance; and build and institutionalize the capacity to meet victim assistance needs through technology, training, and innovation. In responding to the latter recommendation OVC programming in FYs 2013 and 2014 focused on building capacity in a number of key areas. In FY 14, OVC awarded 35 grants intended to fuel innovation in victim services. OVC also expanded its training opportunities for victim-services practitioners. Since the Vision 21 study identified the need for more empirical information on victimization in order to better serve crime victims, OVC is partnering with other Federal agencies in collecting and analyzing data on victim needs and services.