Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares confirmed on Friday his participation in a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general calling on the Department of Justice’s Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fund to provide additional resources to commonwealth citizens who are victims of crimes.
The VOCA Fund, originally established by a federal law signed in 1984, is financed by fines and penalties paid by individuals convicted in federal cases and funds to provide various services, including financial assistance, to victims of crimes.
Despite President Joe Biden signing the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act in 2021, Miyares and noted in a press release that the VOCA Fund is expected to offer $700 million less to fund victim service grants in 2024.
“In every corner of our nation, victims of crime rely on the vital support and services provided by federal funding. As victims navigate the aftermath of trauma, from the pain of physical injuries to the anguish of emotional distress, victim advocates are there to support recovery and well-being. That’s why it is imperative that Congress acts swiftly to ensure that victim service programs, like those available here in the Commonwealth, remain fully funded,” said Attorney General Miyares in a statement.
“As violent crime continues to rise across the country, we have to ensure we remain committed to supporting victims every step of the way,” Miyares added. “I’m proud to stand with this bipartisan coalition of attorneys general calling on Congress to ensure victims and survivors have the resources and assistance they need in their most difficult times.”
Miyares’ participation came amid a letter by the National Association of Attorneys General to congressional leadership that urged Congress to “provide short-term funding while the Fund is replenished by criminal fines, forfeited bail bonds, penalties, and special assessments” through normal law enforcement activities to “sustain critical services and support for victims of crime.”
Their letter also asserted, “Without prompt action to support the VOCA Fund, many victim service programs throughout the country may be forced to close, and the victims and survivors those programs serve could be left without services and support, endangering their safety and wellbeing.”
“While the VOCA Fix Act was necessary, it was, unfortunately, not sufficient,” the attorneys general warned.
Miyares’ decision to support the letter comes as he continues to focus on crime reduction in the commonwealth, with plans in 2024 to expand his “It Only Takes One” fentanyl awareness initiative and “Operation Ceasefire” to address gun violence.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “AG Jason Miyares” by AG Jason Miyares.
