South Carolina Governor's Office





Past Updates



A great new BJS report, "Victimization During Household Burglary," presents findings from the National Crime Victimization Survey on the characteristics of burglary, including comparisons between households where members were present and not present, and the extent to which individuals in the residence are violently victimized when at home during these encounters.  You can download this report by clicking here.
The National Sheriffs' Association has produced an excellent Neighborhood Watch Manual that is a good resource for us personally and professionally!  You'll want to download this great guidebook.
Sexual Violence Report Announcement (PDF)
Grant Available To Support Identity Theft Victims
Application deadline: June 16, 2010
The Identity Theft Victim Assistance Networks Program will fund one cooperative agreement for $650,000 to a national nonprofit organization to support the planning activities of regional, statewide, or community-based organizations in serving identity theft victims. Based on successful completion of year one activities, year two subawards will be granted to improve assistance to identity theft victims. (OVC)
Grants Increase Awareness of Exposure to Violence
Application deadline: May 18, 2010
The Public Awareness and Outreach for Victims in Underserved Communities program will provide up to 10 cooperative agreements of up to $100,000 each to raise awareness about the needs of children exposed to violence in traditionally underserved populations, as well as to improve knowledge in these populations about accessing services available to child victims. (OVC)
The Council of State Governments Justice Center and the Police Executive Research Forum have just released "Improving Responses to People with Mental Illnesses: Tailoring Law Enforcement Initiatives to Individual Jurisdictions."  This thorough report offers great strategies for law enforcement's handling of cases involving mentally ill defendants.
Court Watch have just published a Guidebook entitled "Gaining Access to your Courts and Court Records." 
Serving Survivors of Homicide Victims During Cold Case Investigations. The National Sheriffs' Association, Justice Solutions, and the National Organization of Parents Of Murdered Children have partnered to develop a protocol on how law enforcement agencies can best serve survivors of homicide victims during cold case investigations. This Project is funded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. To help inform development of the protocol, the Project is surveying law enforcement agencies to collect information on how they handle cold case investigations. The 15 minute survey can be accessed by clicking here. If you are not with a law enforcement agency but know of an agency that handles co l d case investigations, please forward this announcement to the appropriate person at that agency and encourage them to complete the survey.
Crime Scene and Death Investigations Grant Available
Application deadline: February 16, 2010
NIJ is seeking applications for the Research and Development on Forensic Crime Scene and Medicolegal Death Investigations solicitation. This research will enhance forensic crime scene examination and forensic medicolegal death investigations. Proposed projects may focus on crime scene examination, medicolegal death investigations, forensic pathology, forensic anthropology, forensic odontology, and fire scene analysis. (NIJ)
Caseflow Management Summit Produces Informational Brochure
"Fair, Timely, Economical Justice: Achieving Justice Through Effective Caseflow Management" was developed as a result of a summit held in January 2008. The summit identified six key concepts integral to an effective caseflow management system and to the court's ability to provide fair, timely, and economical justice. (BJA)
The Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization, and HHS have teamed up to develop some great guidelines for non-profits about preparing for and coping with the H1N1 swine flu virus, including important tips for shelters.  It's a short document and can be downloaded here.
The National Institute of Justice has just released "Making Arrests in Domestic Violence Cases: What Police Should Know."  This is a really concise and good overview for law enforcement and victim assistance professionals, and can be accessed here.
American Humane is offering grants to domestic violence programs and shelters through its PAWS (Pets and Women's Shelters) program.  You can download the grant application, and also access a great curriculum on domestic violence and pets, from American Humane (click here).
The Office for Victims of Crime has launched the Identity Theft Victim Assistance Online Training: Supporting Victims' Financial and Emotional Recovery, a user-friendly e-learning tool that will teach victim service professionals and allied professionals knowledge and skills to more effectively serve victims of identity theft and assist with their financial and emotional recovery.  You can access the training site online at -- a great resource to help victims of ID theft!
The Office for Victims of Crime requests your assistance in promoting the National Crime Victims’ Service Awards.Each year, OVC strives to increase the diversity of the types of applications it receives. In an effort to reach a wider audience, OVC developed this award countdown widget for placement on your Web site. Our hope is that visitors to your site will view this widget and be reminded to nominate a deserving colleague in the victim services community before the September 30 deadline.
The Office for Victims of Crime is paper-publishing "Victim Services in Rural Law Enforcement," which explores creative and economical ways for rural law enforcement agencies to meet the needs of victims at the crime scene and during followup contact, despite the barriers. This looks like a really great document and that anyone working with the rural/remote/frontier populations could benefit from. For ordering information, please visit here.
The Department of Defense sponsors a website that details its Victim/Witness programs, and includes points of contact for every branch of the military.  You can access this information by clicking here.  And the widely-lauded "Survival Guide" for servicemembers, published by Veterans for America, is a great resource for any clients who are active duty or veterans.
OVC has just published "Strengthening Sexual Assault Victims' Right to Privacy."  This excellent e-publication provides practical assistance to statewide sexual assault coalitions and rape crisis centers to help them maintain victim confidentiality. It addresses common challenges, provides core concepts, and offers practical tips for improving confidential services provided to victims of sexual violence.You can download the guide.
Also from OVC, the new "Good Samaratins: Volunteers Helping Victims Program Handbook and Training Guide" is designed to train volunteers to provide emergency services to victims. These services include securing victims' homes after a break-in, offering emotional support, and linking victims with community services.
OVC's new "Terrorism and International Victim Assistance" brochure offers comprehensive information about OVC-administered programs supporting victims of domestic and international terrorism and mass violence. This publication also discusses programs that help victims of global crimes such as child abduction and tourist-targeted victimization..
 
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