Homicide victims lose money

Since 1986, the North Carolina Victim Assistance Network has supported people in their darkest hour…people who are the family members of murder victims. They offer emotional support, support in the courtroom, and financial support. Their state funding has been virtually eliminated. It’s a non-profit organization that offers services free to their clients. They are hoping the Governor’s Crime Commission will reconsider funding them.

Below is information provided by the NC Department of Public Safety regarding VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) funding:

VOCA BACKGROUNDER AND TRENDLINES Victim Assistance grant funds are made up of federal dollars that in North Carolina are distributed by the Governor’s Crime Commission. These funds – the GCC’s largest source of federal funding – have fallen by 57% over the last five years and are in jeopardy of falling further.

In 2018, the North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission received $103 million to support victims of crime. In 2022, the GCC received only $44.7 million.

Of that money, 30% is federally mandated to be distributed to organizations supporting victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.

Another mandatory funding stream earmarks at least 10% for underserved populations including family members of victims of homicide, as well as victims of human trafficking and other crimes. In 2022, GCC surpassed this mandatory minimum and allocated almost 30% of funding to projects that support underserved populations.

The remaining funds are allocated using priorities set by the Commission during the summer months. Some of the funding priorities this year are community violence intervention, legal services and hospital-based services.

The reduction in federal VOCA funding has increased competition among worthy applicants serving victims of crime in North Carolina and throughout the country. VOCA Victim Assistance grants come from the U.S. Crime Victims Fund, which is made up of deposits of federal criminal fines, fees, and penalties. Deposits to the CVF have been decreasing since 2017 due in part to decreased federal prosecutions, and this has in turn helped drive down the amount of money distributed to the states.

Statement from Caroline Farmer, Executive Director of the Governor’s Crime Commission, on administration of VOCA funding.

The Governor’s Crime Commission understands the impact VOCA-funded organizations have on our communities. We support NCVAN and their work. The federal funding that NCVAN and other organizations previously relied upon has been cut dramatically. This is a pivotal moment for the VOCA federal fund, and we are taking the following steps to ensure that victims continue to receive support in their recovery:

1. We require VOCA applicants to write to their regional U.S. Attorneys’ Office, sharing the ways that their work supports victims of federal crime in our state. The U.S. Attorneys’ prosecutions help fund these groups.

2. We are working closely with groups such as NCVAN that are looking for new sources of funding following the loss of some or all of their VOCA funding. Our 2023 Request for Proposal for VOCA funding is currently open. We encourage organizations to review the criteria and submit their applications by the Jan. 31 deadline.