Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Assistance Funding
What does it solve?
Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) victim assistance funds are federal funds that can be used to support services for victims and survivors of gun violence. Many of the services eligible for VOCA victim assistance funds are already being provided by gun violence intervention programs, such as street outreach and hospital-based violence intervention programs. VOCA victim assistance grants should be used to help reduce gun violence and support gun violence survivors.
Local community-based organizations are in need of more funding to provide responsive services to victims of gun violence. These organizations have been delivering these critical services for years, healing families and communities while preventing future gun violence.
Myth & Fact
Myth
Fact
How it works
Local community-based organizations are in need of more funding.
VOCA victim assistance grants can be used to fund community-based organizations providing services to gun violence victims and survivors. However, historically, VOCA victim assistance funds have not been granted to services focused on gun violence victims and survivors. VOCA victim assistance funding can and should be utilized to support services to gun violence victims and to help stem cycles of violence. States and cities can be proactive in directing VOCA victim assistance funds to gun violence victim services.
Among the gun violence intervention services eligible for victim assistance funding are hospital-based violence intervention programs, street outreach programs, and trauma recovery centers.
By the numbers
$225M
$225 million could be unlocked for victims of gun violence if all 50 states committed ten percent of their 2019 VOCA victim assistance funds to gun violence victim services.
37%