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Oregon DOJ Home  |  About the Justice Department  |  Divisions  |  Crime Victims' Services  |  Victim Assistance Programs

Victim Assistance Programs

Select any of the links below to be directed to the appropriate topic about the CFAA Unitary Assessment Fund

CFAA Unitary Assessment Updates
History of the CFAA Unitary Assessment Fund
Eligibility of the CFAA Unitary Assessment Fund
2009 Annual Report and Appendices
CFAA Unitary Assessment Fund Contacts
List of County and City Victim Assistant Programs
CFAA Unitary Assessment Forms, Reports, Statute and Administrative Rules
Links to Other Helpful Resources

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CFAA Unitary Assessment Updates

As of May 2008, all 36 county District Attorneys' offices and five City Attorneys' offices have certified programs. The current 2007-2009 distribution of CFAA/UA funds to Victim Assistance Programs (VAP) is nearly $4.48 million per biennium. Despite the increase of nearly $1.0 million, this ratio continues to run short of providing adequate staffing structures across the state to meet the increasing victims' needs and ensure that victims are aware of their rights and are able to actively participate in the criminal justice process.

In an effort to improve services to victims and enhance the skills of Victim Assistance Program staff, a workgroup was established in late 2007 comprised of VAP staff from across the state. This workgroup has advised on best practices, drafted standards of practice for specific topics including exculpatory evidence and confidentiality. They have also worked on proposed changes to the statutes governing these funds which will be presented to the 2009 Legislative session. Best practice tools from the workgroup can be found in the Grantee Resources webpage: www.doj.state.or.us/crimev/grantee_resources.shtml.

When the CFAA/UA Statutes (ORS 147.227) were enacted 20 years ago the victim assistance field in Oregon, and across the nation, was in its infancy. Programs were generally able to meet the statutory requirements and had access to additional resources such as grant and county funding to supplement the CFAA/UA funds and allow for program growth. This is no longer the case. Basic services such as assisting victims with constitutional and statutory rights, ensuring that victims are obtaining prompt restitution and ensuring victims have the opportunity to explain the impact of the crime are not consistently provided. This rings particularly true in light of the 2007 vote in Oregon passing two (2) Constitutional amendments affording crime victims standing and a voice in enforcing their rights via the courts.

National standards in the victim assistance field (New Directions, DOJ Crime Victims' Services Division (CVSD) Needs Assessment) show that assistance provided immediately after a crime is the ideal response for victims. It is also imperative for victims of crime to be informed of their rights within the criminal justice system and how to enforce their rights if they have been ignored or violated. The Victim Assistance Program (VAPs) staff provides the cornerstone of these processes. However, the majority of Oregon's VAPs are not able to respond to victims immediately after the crime. On the contrary, resources are so scarce that victims often do not receive an initial contact from a victim advocate until after a decision has been made to charge someone with a crime or even until indictment. When viewed in the context of ideal response, Oregon is far from able to meet the standard given the current funding level of the VAPs.

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History of the CFAA Unitary Assessment Funds

As a result of the 1983 Oregon legislature, (ORS 147.227) the Oregon Department of Justice, Crime Victims' Assistance Section (CVAS), now the Crime Victims' Services Division (CVSD)was given authority to disburse up to one-half of the unitary assessment monies that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Account receives from the Criminal Fine and Assessment Account, to counties and cities where prosecuting attorneys maintain comprehensive victims' assistance programs approved by CVSD (see Eligibility to Receive CFAA/UA Funds below).

Through the 2007 Legislative process, CVSD requested and received an increase in the CFAA/UA fund of $2,000,000 for VAP's and to be shared with the Crime Victims' Compensation Program (CVCP) as well as a change in the statute lifting the 50% cap given to the County and City Victim Assistance Programs.

Beginning in 2007, the allocation to programs was revamped based on a strategic planning process that began in March of 2004. The process joined together the advisory bodies for state-administered victim services funding with a focus on domestic and sexual violence services (DV/SA) funding. From August 2005 - July 2006, independent consultants studied current research, past and current allocation formulae and values, and other relevant information in order to present a recommendation on a single equitable formula for allocation of all state-administered funds for DV/SA (the "Equity Study"). Between August 2006 and February 2007, the recommendation was reviewed, adjusted and adopted by all four advisory bodies. The approved formula uses counties as a unit of allocation, and provides a base amount and an additional amount for county population ("base-plus"). Key values reflected in the formula are that victims throughout the state need meaningful access to services and current services should be stabilized during the transition to this new allocation formula.

While the Equity Study was undertaken with a focus on DV/SA services, CVSD anticipated that it would result in information and values applicable to the full range of victim services. With the increase in the CFAA/UA funds a similar process has been undertaken to apply a single, equitable formula for allocation to the District and City-attorney based Victim Assistance Programs (VAPs). The increase in CFAA/UA funding for the VAPs in the 2007 Legislative Session provided an opportunity for adapting the current CFAA/UA fund distribution formula. The formula for distribution implemented in 2007 follows the same key values and the theme of using counties as a unit of allocation, provides a base amount and an additional amount for county population and crime rate ("base-plus"). The proposed allocation formula was reviewed and approved by the Oregon District Attorney's Association during the 2007 ODAA Summer Conference.

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Eligibility to Receive CFAA Unitary Assessment Funds

To qualify for approval by CVSD, a comprehensive victims' assistance program shall not restrict services only to victims or witnesses of a particular type of crime, but shall provide services to victims and witnesses generally. The program must also, in the determination of CVSD, effectively provide the following comprehensive services to victims and witnesses of all types of crime with particular emphasis on serious crimes against persons and property including, but not limited to the following:

• Inform victims and witnesses of their case status and progress;
• Perform advocate duties for victims within the criminal justice system;
• Assist victims in recovering property damaged or stolen and in obtaining restitution or compensation for medical and other expenses incurred as a result of the criminal act;
• Prepare victims for pending court hearing by informing them of procedures involved;
• Accompany victims to court hearings;
• Involve victims, when possible, in the decision-making process in the criminal justice system;
• Assist victims in obtaining the return of property held as evidence;
• Assist victims with personal logistical problems related to court appearances;
• Develop community resources to assist victims of crime;
• Be administered by the district attorney of the county or city attorney of the city;
• Assist victims of crimes in the preparation and presentation of claims against the Criminal Injuries Compensation Account; and
• Generally encourage and facilitate testimony by victims of and witnesses to criminal conduct.

If a proposed victim/witness assistance program is not able to provide all of the above listed duties, CVSD will review and determine whether or not it would be practicable at the current time for the district attorney or city attorney to establish a more comprehensive program, and may qualify the program on a temporary basis under certain restrictions or conditions.

Program development, technical assistance, and training are provided from this division for the local programs throughout the state.  Certification of compliance for each program is achieved through site visits and review of annual reports.

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CFAA Unitary Assessment Fund Contacts

Nancy Artmann
VOCA & Unitary Assessment Fund Coordinator
Ph: (503) 378-5647
Email: Nancy.Artmann@doj.state.or.us

Cathy Oliverio Relang
VOCA & Unitary Assessment Fund Coordinator
Ph: (503) 378-4476
Email: Cathy.L.Relang@doj.state.or.us

Map to Subgrantees monitored by each Fund Coordinator.

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County and City Victims' Assistance Programs

Directory of all the certified county and city victim/witness assistance programs located throughout Oregon (doc)

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CFAA Unitary Assessment Forms, Reports, Statute and Administrative Rules

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Links to Other Helpful Resources

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For more information regarding the prosecutor-based victim/witness assistance programs in Oregon, please call or write to:

Crime Victims' Services Division
1162 Court St. N.E.
Salem, OR97301-4096
Ph: (503) 378-5348
Fax: (503) 378-5738

Contact us: cvsd.email@doj.state.or.us
Victim Toll Free Number 1-800-503-7983