As part of an integrated campaign to increase awareness about victims' rights,
educate the public about the impact of crime, and promote crime victim resources,
the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has launched crimevictims.gov.
This site is tied directly to the release of seven public service announcements
(PSAs) that will begin to air nationally during National
Crime Victims' Rights Week (April 10–16, 2005). Each year, OVC helps lead communities throughout
the country in their observances of National
Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW),
an annual commemoration that promotes victims' rights and services in all sectors
of society.
The PSAs, presented in 20-, 30-, and 60-second formats (including one in
Spanish), inform crime victims about their rights and the wide range of services
available to assist them. These PSAs are also designed to increase public awareness
about crime victims' rights and the availability of services. Designed
for three audiences—crime victims, volunteers, and victim service providers—the
PSAs feature the actual experiences of 16 survivors who describe how victim
assistance programs helped them in the aftermath of crime. The PSAs then end
with the tagline "Get Help or Help Out" and direct viewers to visit crimevictims.gov for
more information. These powerful public service announcements provide vital
information that can help crime victims, their families and friends, and anyone
concerned about justice and public safety to access the resources they need.
Crimevictims.gov targets these same three audiences, providing a wealth of
resources for each, including links to Web sites, publications, databases,
and hotlines. The site intentionally mirrors the look and feel of the PSAs, "giving
a face" to crime victims, volunteers, and providers through photos and
brief testimonials.
The PSAs were prepared by Justice Solutions under grant number 2002-GX-K013,
awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S.
Department of Justice. Justice Solutions is a national nonprofit organization
dedicated to enhancing rights, resources, and respect for victims and communities
hurt by crime; enhancing governmental and societal responses to crime and its
consequences for individuals and communities; and strengthening crime prevention
initiatives in the United States. To find out more, visit Justice
Solutions' Web site.
The Office for Victims of Crime was created by the U.S. Department of Justice
in 1983 and formally established by Congress in 1988 through an amendment to
the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984 [42 U.S.C. § 10601]. It is one
of five bureaus within the Office of
Justice Programs. OVC's mission is to enhance the Nation's capacity
to assist victims of crime and to provide leadership in changing attitudes,
policies, and practices to promote justice and healing for all victims of crime.
VOCA also established the Crime Victims Fund, the sole source of funding for
VOCA-authorized programs, comprising fines, penalties, and special assessments
imposed on convicted federal defendants and gifts, bequests, and donations.
To learn more about OVC and its programs and resources, visit OVC's
Web site or contact OVC through AskOVC.
|
