TRENTON — Cape May County’s CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program is one of 49 programs serving crime victims that have received federal grants totaling approximately $2.1 million through the Office of Victim Witness Advocacy in the Division of Criminal Justice.
According to a release from Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni, the program grants are funded through the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). The VOCA victim assistance grant program supports non-profit organizations and certain public agencies that provide direct services to victims of crime.
The local CASA office’s share was $41,250.
“These grants support the vital work of agencies that are meeting the needs of crime victims with quality services,” said Milgram. “Whether it is counseling, legal assistance, or something as basic as temporary housing, these agencies offer crime victims what they need when they need it most.”
The State Office of Victim Witness Advocacy was established in 1986 and is responsible for administering federal grants to agencies that provide assistance to crime victims and their families. The office works to ensure services are available that will help crime victims cope with the aftermath of victimization and to ensure that their participation in the criminal justice system is less difficult. Each of the state’s 21 county prosecutors has a county office of victim witness advocacy staffed with trained counselors who assist crime victims.
Victim services include those that respond to the emotional and physical needs of crime victims such as crisis intervention, emergency shelter, emergency transportation, counseling and criminal legal advocacy. VOCA was established in 1984 and is supported by bond forfeitures and fines and penalties levied against convicted federal offenders.
New Jersey non-profit agencies have received more than $21.3 million in Victim Assistance Grants from 2001 through 2008. Last year alone, approximately 16,000 victims were served by non-profit organization projects supported by VOCA funds. The maximum grant for 2009 is $55,000.
Grant recipients were identified through an open competitive grant process administered by the Department of Law & Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice, and the State Office of Victim Witness Advocacy.
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