Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and

Delinquency

Office of Victims’ Services

Annual Report 2010-11 Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency

Telephone: 717-705-0888 P.O. Box 1167 www.pccd.state.pa.us Fax: 717-705-0891 Harrisburg, PA 17108-1167

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VICTIMS’ SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Mission

VSAC’s mission is to serve in an advisory capacity to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and to assure that the voices, needs and perspectives

of all crime victims/survivors will be considered in the development of services, service standards, policies, funding priorities, legislation and outcomes.

Vision

VSAC’s vision is for a society that accepts the responsibility of

meeting the diverse needs of all crime victims/survivors by acknowledging that they were harmed and by marshalling the

resources necessary to help victims rebuild their lives.

Victims’ Services Advisory Committee Membership Reverend Dr. Anne K. Ard, Chair Executive Director Centre County Women’s Resource Center Vice-Chair, Vacant Ms. Valerie Bender Research Associate National Center for Juvenile Justice Ms. Barbara Clark Executive Director Network of Victim Assistance Ms. Peg Dierkers Executive Director PA Coalition Against Domestic Violence Ms. Denise Getgen Chief of Consumer Protection Designee of the Department of Aging Secretary Ms. Carol Lavery Victim Advocate Office of the Victim Advocate Ms. Angie Logan Executive Policy Specialist Designee of the Department of Public Welfare Secretary

Honorable James B. Martin District Attorney Lehigh County Lieutenant David E. Relph Bureau of Criminal Investigation Designee of the State Police Commissioner Ms. Rebecca Shaver Executive Director Mothers Against Drunk Driving Dr. Walter Howard Smith, Jr. Executive Director Family Resources Ms. Donna VandeMortel Executive Director Victim Services Division, Cumberland County Honorable Mardiann Vincent Deputy Secretary Designee of the Department of Corrections Secretary Honorable William Harvey Wiest Judge Northumberland County Court of Common Pleas Ms. Louise B. Williams Victim/Survivor, Lancaster City Council President

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2010/11 Office of Victims’ Services Annual Report The Office of Victims’ Services (OVS) is comprised of two programs, the Victims Compensation Assistance Program and the Victims’ Services Program. The mission of the OVS is to assure that the voices, needs and perspectives of all crime victims/survivors will be considered in the development of services, service standards, policies, funding priorities legislation and outcomes. Created by Act 139 of 1976, the Victims Compensation Assistance Program is committed to helping victims and their families through the emotional and physical aftermath of a crime by easing the financial burden imposed upon them. Victims will always be treated with dignity, compassion and respect as they are assisted through the victims compensation process.

2010-11

Number of New Claims Received 8,771

Average Processing Time for Claims in Weeks 7.13

Number of Emergency Awards Paid 335

Dollar Amount of Emergency Awards Paid $348,372.35

Number of Supplemental Awards Paid 5,347

Dollar Amount Paid on Supplemental Claims $4,542,338.35

Total Paid $14,889,282.42

The Victims’ Services Program administers state and federal funds in order to provide grants, training, and technical assistance to community-based and system-based programs that work to serve victims of crime. The chart below reflects the number of victims and witnesses provided their rights and services by victim service providers in the district attorney’s offices, juvenile probation departments, and community based victim service agencies throughout Pennsylvania. Services range from accompaniment and courtroom orientation to notification, restitution, victims compensation assistance, transportation, child care, counseling, assistance with Victim Impact Statements and victim communication with the offender. The numbers under VOJO represent victims of juvenile offenders and the numbers under RASA represent victims of adult offenders.

2010

VOJO 56,479

RASA 170,583

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OVS Identified Challenges The field of victim services has historically faced varied challenges. As OVS moves forward, we continue to recognize the challenges and seek to design and implement effective solutions that enhance services to victims of crime. Challenge: Unprecedented state and federal funding cuts for victim services. The Victims’ Services Advisory Committee was charged with studying and making recommendations related to the organizational capacity and sustainability of victim services over the next 5-10 years. Challenge: To decrease the administrative burden on grant recipients.

The Data Collection, Reporting and Outcomes Project (DCROP) is a collaborative initiative amongst State Funders that aims to provide all victim service programs a streamlined, standardized data collection, reporting and outcomes system.