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ACCEPTANCE OF A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $56,082 FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE/OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS (DOJ/OJP) THROUGH THE OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME AND AUTHORIZED THROUGH THE VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT (VOCA) TO BE USED BY THE NORMAN POLICE DEPARTMENT TO EMPLOY A VICTIM ADVOCATE (AND PROVIDE ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT) AND BUDGET APPROPRIATION FROM THE SPECIAL REVENUE GRANT FUND.
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BACKGROUND: The U.S. Department of Justice, fiscal year 2018 Victims Assistance Formula Grant, announced that grant funds totaling $39,885,767 (for the state of Oklahoma) are available with the goal of providing direct services to victims of crime. Specifically, services must (1) respond to the emotional and physical needs of crime victims; (2) assist primary and secondary victims of crime to stabilize their lives after victimization; (3) assist victims to understand and participate in the criminal justice system; and (4) provide the victims of crime with a measure of safety and security.
The City of Norman is fortunate to have access to advocates through the Women's Resource Center, Mary Abbott Children's House, and the Cleveland County District Attorney's Office. The Women's Resource Center provides services to victims of domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault. Mary Abbott Children's House provides services to victims and families of child abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. Incidents from these two agencies accounted for 4% of our violent offenses and 6% of our victims. When we consider all of these incidents together, we find that there are no services provided for 72% of our violent offenses and to 62% of our victims. These underserved members of the community include: relatives of homicide victims; assault (non-child abuse/sexual abuse/neglect and non-domestic violence/stalking/sexual assault) victims; robbery victims; gang violence; hate/bias crimes; DUI; economic exploitation/fraud; and elder abuse.
Our District Attorney's Office provides Victim-W...
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