Final Report of the Subcommittee on Domestic Trafficking

Department <strong>of</strong> JusticeCivil Rights Division – Criminal SectionVOCA Emergency FundsREPRESENTED BY:T. March Bellby Lorna GrenadierVictim Witness CoordinatorAVAILABILITY: DOMESTIC INTLUS Citizen LPRAdults X X XMinors X X X* The Office for Victims <strong>of</strong> Crime and <strong>the</strong> Civil Rights Division signed a reimbursableagreement that has been renewed through FY 2006 that provides funds under <strong>the</strong> Victims <strong>of</strong>Crime Act <strong>of</strong> 1984 (VOCA) to cover emergency needs <strong>of</strong> victims where o<strong>the</strong>r resources areunavailable. These funds have been used to pay for temporary housing and subsistence fornewly-rescued trafficking victims, as well as to facilitate victims’ access to <strong>the</strong> legal system byproviding interpreters and listening devices at court hearings, and brochures setting forth <strong>the</strong>victim’s rights. The funding is available to any victim, regardless <strong>of</strong> citizenship or alienage. Toaccess this resource, <strong>the</strong> Civil Rights Division forwards a request to <strong>the</strong> Office for Victims <strong>of</strong>Crime for its approval. To use <strong>the</strong>se funds:• <strong>the</strong>re must be an open federal criminal civil rights investigation by <strong>the</strong> FBI or o<strong>the</strong>rfederal law enforcement agency;• <strong>the</strong> service must o<strong>the</strong>rwise be unavailable; and• <strong>the</strong> service requested must respond to immediate needs that are a direct result <strong>of</strong> a crimevictimization in an open federal criminal civil rights investigation or prosecution.The types <strong>of</strong> emergent needs for which <strong>the</strong>se funds may be used include, but are not limited to:• Crisis Intervention• Food and Clothing• Legal Assistance (E.g., Restraining Order)• Shelter or Temporary Housing42