D.C. Code § 4-581.01

Current through codified legislation effective September 18, 2024

Section 4-581.01 - [Not funded.] Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants

(a)

(1) There is established, as a subordinate agency, the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants ("OVSJG") within the District of Columbia government.

(2) OVSJG shall be led by an Executive Director, who shall be appointed by the Mayor and report to the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice.

(3) The Executive Director shall coordinate, hire, and supervise all staff as needed to achieve OVSJG's mission.

(b) OVSJG shall be composed, at a minimum, of the following programs:

(1) The Victim Services Administration, which shall:

(A) Disburse grant funds to community-based organizations and other entities to support victims and survivors of crime and to better coordinate systems of care; and

(B) Disburse grant funds to entities operating or evaluating a hospital-based violence intervention program, as defined in D.C. Official Code § 14-313(a)(3);

(2) The Justice Grants Administration, which shall disburse grant funds to:

(A) Community-based organizations and other entities to support returning citizens, justice-involved individuals, and other vulnerable populations; and

(B) Support initiatives to improve coordination within the criminal and juvenile justice system, including data collection, research and analysis, information sharing, and compliance monitoring;

(3) The Access to Justice Initiative, established pursuant to section 201(a) of the Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Support Act of 2010, effective September 24, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-223; D.C. Official Code § 4-1702.01(a)) , which shall disburse grant funds to community-based organizations and other entities to support the provision of legal services to low-income and underserved District residents; and

(4) The Truancy Reduction Program, which shall disburse grant funds to community-based organizations and other entities to reduce truancy and chronic absenteeism among students in the District.

(c) OVSJG shall:

(1) Serve as the state administering agency for the following federal funds:

(A) The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds, authorized by section 501 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, approved January 5, 2006 (119 Stat. 3095; 34 U.S.C. § 10152) ;

(B) Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for State Prisoners funds, authorized by section 1901 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, approved September 13, 1994 (108 Stat. 1898; 34 U.S.C. § 10421) ;

(C) Title II Formula Grants Program funds, authorized by section 221 of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, approved September 7, 1974 (88 Stat. 1118; 34 U.S.C. § 11131) ;

(D) Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement Grants funds, authorized by section 2801 of the of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, approved December 21, 2000 (114 Stat. 2788; 34 U.S.C. § 10561) ;

(E) The Crime Victims Fund, authorized by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, approved October 12, 1984 (98 Stat. 2170; 34 U.S.C. § 20101et seq.); and

(F) Grants to Combat Violent Crimes Against Women funds, authorized by section 2001 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, approved September 13, 1994 (108 Stat. 1910; 34 U.S.C. § 10441) ;

(2) Monitor the District's compliance with the following federal laws and any expenditure of associated federal funds:

(A) Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003, approved September 4, 2003 (117 Stat. 972; 34 U.S.C. § 30301et seq.); and

(B) Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, approved July 27, 2006 (120 Stat. 590; 34 U.S.C. § 20901et seq.);

(3) Administer and make disbursements from the following local funds:

(A) The Crime Victims Assistance Fund, established by section 16 a of the Victims of Violent Crime Compensation Act of 1996, effective October 1, 2002 (D.C. Law 14-190; D.C. Official Code § 4-515.01) ;

(B) Shelter and Transitional Housing for Victims of Domestic Violence Fund, established by section 3013 of the Crime Victims Assistance Fund and Shelter and Transitional Housing for Victims of Domestic Violence Fund Amendment Act of 2007, effective September 18, 2007 (D.C. Law 17-20; D.C. Official Code § 4-521) ; and

(C) Community-based Violence Reduction Fund, established by section 3014 of the Community-based Violence Reduction Fund, effective August 16, 2008 (D.C. Law 17-219; D.C. Official Code § 1-325.121) ;

(4) Provide administrative support to:

(A) The Juvenile Justice Advisory Group, as described in Mayor's Order 2009-13, dated February 9, 2009;

(B) Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board, established by D.C. Official Code § 16-1052(a); and

(C) The Sexual Assault Response Team, established by section 212(a) of the Sexual Assault Victims' Rights Amendment Act of 2014, effective November 20, 2014 (D.C. Law 20-139; D.C. Official Code § 4-561.12(a)) ; and

(5) Be the sole agency responsible for carrying out the provisions of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, approved September 7, 1974 (88 Stat. 1118; 34 U.S.C. § 11131et seq.) ("JJDP Act"), and the sole agency responsible for supervising the preparation and administration of the state plan pursuant to section 223(a) of the JJDP Act.

D.C. Code § 4-581.01

Added by D.C. Law 24-341,§ 201, 69 DCR 014698, eff. 4/6/2023.