OVC News and Announcements

To help you stay up to date with the latest news about crime victim services and events, this section will notify you about current OVC-focused initiatives and relevant topics and events with a primary focus on best practices. You are also encouraged to check out What's New at OVC.

• Now Available Online: 2012 NCVRW Resource Guide (02/01/12)
• Year in Review: 2011 Guest Host Discussions (1/16/12)
• Guide for Serving Survivors of Homicide Victims During Cold Case Investigations (01/04/12)
• Read and Share: OVC News & Program Updates (11/22/11)
• Revised Attorney General Guidelines for Victim/Witness Assistance Released (10/14/11)

Use the links below to be taken to the News and Announcements Archives.

2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007

Now Available Online: 2012 NCVRW Resource Guide

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week—Extending the Vision: Reaching Every Victim—will be observed April 22–28, 2012.

To assist you with your planning for the week, OVC has released its annual NCVRW Resource Guide, developed to help communities and victim assistance providers promote awareness of crime victim issues and observe NCVRW. The kit includes—

• Sample press materials.
• Customizable camera-ready art files in color and black and white.
• 2012 NCVRW Theme DVD.
• Customizable public awareness posters.
• Statistical overviews and resources.

A Spanish version of the 2012 NCVRW Guide is also available and includes camera-ready art files and customizable public awareness posters!

The Resource Guide (NCJ 235596) and Poster (PS000024) are also available to order. For more information about NCVRW, visit the NCVRW Web site.

## 02/01/12 ##

Back to Top

Year in Review: 2011 Guest Host Discussions

Read transcripts from 2011 Guest Host Sessions to re-discover the range of fascinating and informative discussions led by experts in the crime victim services field.

September–December 2011

1. December 2011. Deborah Lamm Weisel, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at North Carolina Central University, hosted a discussion on Responding to Victims of Property Crimes.
2. October 2011. Rob Valente, General Counsel, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and James P. Vann, Division Counsel, Washington Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, hosted a discussion on Understanding Firearms Laws to Assist Domestic Violence Victims.
3. October 2011. Russell Butler, Executive Director, Maryland Crime Victims' Resource Center, and Paula Pierce, J.D., Managing Attorney, Victims Initiative for Counseling, Advocacy, and Restoration of the Southwest (VICARS), hosted a discussion on Providing Pro Bono Services to Financial Abuse Victims.
4. September 2011. Bette Stebbins, MSCP, CA, Senior Victim Care Advisor, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, Department of Defense, and Jennifer Wilson Marsh, Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network program manager, Department of Defense Safe Helpline, hosted a discussion on Using Online Communications to Assist Crime Victims in the Military.

## 01/16/12 ##

Back to Top

Guide for Serving Survivors of Homicide Victims During Cold Case Investigations

Serving Survivors of Homicide Victims During Cold Case Investigations: A Guide for Developing a Law Enforcement Protocol was produced by the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA), in partnership with Justice Solutions and the National Organization of Parents Of Murdered Children, Inc., with funding from OVC under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The project team conducted extensive research and outreach on homicide cold cases and cold case units, during which the following six key issues were identified and subsequently addressed in the guide:

• Definitions and Terminology
• Staffing of Cold Case Units
• Investigative Strategies
• Training and Education
• Communicating with Survivors
• Collaborating with Other Entities

The information and recommendations outlined in the guide inform readers of the fundamental tools they need to best serve survivors of homicide victims in the most effective way. For additional information, visit the Crime Victim Services page of the NSA Web site.

## 01/04/12 ##

Back to Top

Read and Share: OVC News & Program Updates

In April 2011, OVC released the first edition of OVC News & Program Updates to share information about OVC’s strategic planning, initiatives, events, and other items of special interest.

The November edition (PDF 687 kb) offers information about one of our most vulnerable victim populations: America’s children. Articles in this issue highlight—

• The impact of child identity theft.
• OVC’s partnership with a school in Indian Country to address victimization among students.
• A community-based approach to providing services to drug endangered children.
• Research conducted on children’s exposure to violence.
• The goals of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Defending Childhood initiative.
• Human trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

Share OVC News & Program Updates with your colleagues and send suggestions for future issues to Keely McCarthy, an OVC Fellow.

To receive OVC News & Program Updates, register via the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) and select "Victims" as a topic of interest.

## 11/22/11 ##

Back to Top

Revised Attorney General Guidelines for Victim/Witness Assistance Released

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has released the revised Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance, which incorporate best practices and integrate new case law. These guidelines, which took effect on October 1, 2011, establish policy and provide guidance to be followed by U.S. Department of Justice personnel in their interactions with crime victims and witnesses.

## 10/14/11 ##

Back to Top