A participant looks at a series of banners for the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week candlelight vigil on the National Mall April 24, 2024, in Washington, D.C. The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime has organized the event to honor victims and survivors of crime and the individuals who provide services and support. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON — State and local organizations that help victims of sexual assault and other crimes are sounding the alarm over a multi-year drop in funds, a major problem they say must be addressed by Congress, otherwise programs will be forced to establish waiting lists or become casualties. completely.
This includes rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, child advocacy centers and many others who serve millions of Americans and cannot necessarily rely on scarce federal dollars. State or local authorities to keep the doors open if federal money runs out.
The problem is linked to caps on withdrawals from the federal crime victims’ fund, put in place by Congress years ago in an earlier attempt at a solution.
Under this cap, the amount of money available each year is determined by a complex three-year average of accrued court costs, fines and penalties – a number that has fallen by billions over the past six years . The fund does not receive any money from taxpayers.
Teresa Huizar, CEO of the National Children’s Alliance, said in an interview with States Newsroom that child advocacy centers, which help connect children who have survived sexual or domestic abuse to essential services, no longer have fat to reduce in their budgets.
“What children’s advocacy centers are contemplating right now is a series of extremely difficult choices,” Huizar said. “Which children to serve, which children to refuse? CACs that have never had to triage cases before will now have to do so. CCCs that have never had a waiting list for mental health services will now have very long waiting lists to enroll children in therapy.
“I mean, imagine being a child who was sexually abused and being told you’re going to have to wait six months to see a counselor,” Huizar added. “It’s terrible.”
Democratic Senator from New Hampshire, Jeanne Shaheen, chair of the spending committee which sets the cap each year based on falling revenues, and Republican Senator from Kansas. Jerry Moranthe subcommittee’s senior member, both indicated in brief interviews with States Newsroom that a fix was in the works, but declined to provide details.
“There is an effort to solve this problem and we are in the process of doing it, but in the meantime there is not as much money,” Shaheen said.
The fund grows and shrinks by billions every year
Congress created the Crime Victims Fund in 1984 when it approved the Crime Victims Act. Its funding comes from fines, forfeited bail and other financial sanctions in certain federal cases.
The money contributed to the fund fluctuates each year, making it difficult for organizations that apply for and receive grants to plan…
