In Pennsylvania's local victim service agencies, there is often a language barrier that remains an issue in assisting non-English speaking victims of crime.  This can be difficult for local programs, especially when trying to assist crime victims in filing for crime victims' compensation.  The Office of Victims' Services (OVS) has contracted with Language Line to assist non-English speaking crime victims.  With the help of Language Line, OVS is able to ensure that any crime victim has the opportunity to be informed of  victims' compensation eligibility requirements, available benefits, and have any of their questions answered.

Staff members continue to attend a monthly Cross-Systems Advocacy Network meeting, representing victims' rights and compensation.  This group meets to address and examine services to people with disabilities, with a focus on people with disabilities and victimization.  Other systems present include state coalitions representing sexual assault and domestic violence, the Department of Public Welfare, Temple University's Institute on Disabilities, and various other state and local organizations.  This group seeks to find ways to integrate the victims' services and disabilities services available.  Three members of this group provided training to the Harrisburg State Hospital and six regional mental retardation centers.  A representative of PCCD participated in these trainings by presenting information on victims' compensation.





Working under a grant awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Pennsylvania instituted a Victim Notification Service know as PA SAVIN.  The   SAVIN System provides a unified, centralized notification solution that will notify crime victims, law enforcement and the community of changes in offender movement (such as releases, transfers, and escapes) at the local county correctional facilities.  Similar systems are operating in 34 states. As of October 1, 2008, 40 counties have been launched. In addition, from October 2007 to mid-October 2008 PA SAVIN has seen a 2826% increase in the number of registrations to use the system, an 1884% increase in the number of phone notifications, a 6638% increase in the number of email notifications, and usage defined as total searches for offenders has increased by more than 2800%.

Staff members have received training from a coordinator in the FBI Office and have reviewed the information.  Trainings are provided annually in order for OVS staff members to receive pertinent updates to the information.





All victim service programs are prepared to provide the same level of advocacy to victims of federal crime that they do victims of state crime.

PCCD engaged the federal Office for Victims' of Crimes Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVC/TTAC) to assist OVS with completing an audit of all of the training opportunities that it currently offers.  The purpose of this audit was to identify gaps, overlaps and duplication of subject matter as well as analyze these issues in light of the results of the needs assessments conducted by OVS and the newly revised standards for victim service programs. The results of this audit culminated in a new model for training that includes: 1.) a basic training for all new victim advocates; 2.) an advanced level of training for those who have been working in the field for two or more years which consists of specialized topics including direct service and management; and 3.) systems change/response training.  These three levels of training all build upon one another.  





The 2008 Penn State Poll was the 20th annual omnibus survey conducted by the Center for Survey Research at Penn State Harrisburg.  PCCD's OVS developed a set of questions for the phone survey regarding the VCAP program, as well as the public's awareness of victims' services and victim and witness reluctance to cooperate in the justice system.  A total of 859 telephone interviews with adult Pennsylvanians age 18 or older were conducted between September and November 2008. 





The randomized telephone survey on Victims' Rights Compliance in Pennsylvania was administered by SRBI, Inc., the national research firm chosen by the Coalition of Pennsylvania Crime Victim Organizations to undertake this work.  In order for the survey to be statistically valid and reliable, at least 400 of the respondents self-identified as crime victims and agreed to complete the survey.  





The OVS is working on a collaborative project with the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) - Office of Women's Services, the Office of Performance Measures, and the United Way of Pennsylvania.  The OVS hopes the project will improve data collection, produce measurable and meaningful outcomes, and reduce some of the administratively duplicative functions for VOCA funded programs.

CASE 1:  Domestic Violence





A 27 year battered woman called her local victim service provider's hotline while her batterer showered. He had thrown her off their two story deck, and after strangling her and striking her in the face with his fists, he kicked her in the pelvis. She was 7 months pregnant with his child. He went upstairs to wash the blood off himself, and vowed to come downstairs and finish the job. The victim was able call the 24-hour hotline, and was able to receive the support and information she needed to leave immediately with her two preschool children. She left and was picked up by the agency's on call worker at a safe and neutral location.  She and the children were in their nightclothes and in bare feet. The family was placed into shelter-this would not have been possible if there wasn't a 24-hour hotline.





CASE 2:  Child Abuse





The teacher in a preschool program for children ages 2 ? to 5 who have been physically or sexually abused or severely neglected, was hanging pictures on the wall with duct tape. A newly enrolled child, four years old, said to her, "Put some on my mouth, and tape my hands together. My mother used to do that to my brother and me." Apparently, their mother used tape to cover the children's mouths when she left the house because the neighbors had complained about their crying when she left them alone. One of the neighbors saw the young girl looking out the window with her mouth covered with tape and called the police. The child and her brother were removed from their mother's home and were adopted by an aunt. The young girl attended the program for two years. During that time she made wonderful progress in learning to identify and talk about her feelings and manage them appropriately, with fewer tantrums. She became less solitary and learned to play with the other children in the preschool. And she made a successful transition to first grade.








CASE 3: Sexual Violence - Letter from Service Recipient





As a victim of rape at age 16, and not wanting anyone to know, I had suppressed the sexual abuse and all the consequences that followed for 41 years.  The rape had been mentioned in a couple of male psychologist sessions relating to divorce.  At that time I was told that the rape had happened many years ago and I was supposed to "move on and get over it".  Now that I am working with a rape crisis center I have received counseling and information. They helped me learn that rape is NOT my fault and that I am a SURVIVOR.  No one should have to live with sexual abuse, nor have deal with all the consequences that go hand in hand with it if not treated.





CASE 4 ? Homicide





An elderly woman was murdered by her spouse, leaving behind two adult children, one of who was also a witness to the crime. A victim service advocate contacted both survivors, interceded on their behalf with the county medical Examiners Office, provided ongoing supportive and accompaniment services leading up to the arrest of the offender (their father) as well as after the arrest and throughout the prosecution, accompanied them to several meetings and interviews with the detectives, the prosecuting attorney, and to all court proceedings. The victim service advocate continues to provide post trial assistance to the family by way of notification regarding offender status and most recently, notification regarding the death of their father, the offender, in prison. The victim service advocate also provided information regarding Victim Compensation Assistance Program and all rights available to them. The advocate continues to maintain contact with the family as a supportive and informational conduit. 

Many Pennsylvania victim service programs have been experiencing a decrease in funding.   Victim service agencies are increasingly unable to develop new initiatives or plan for program expansion; instead they are only able to provide basic services.  Currently, 18 VOCA funded agencies in Philadelphia are functioning in the climate of decreased federal funds.  They have embarked on a joint endeavor to examine and reach consensus on how to address this changing environment.  The goal is to develop a structured process to help victim service agencies--in the face of decreasing federal funding--work together to sustain and to enhance the current level of services being provided to Philadelphia's increasing crime victim population.

The administrative dollars are used for four purpose areas: monitoring of local victim service agencies; various trainings designed to increase knowledge and skills of victim service providers; supporting the Victims' Compensation Assistance Program, and support for the OVS in the form of consultant work when there is difficulty filling positions.





Expenditures charge/transferred to federal administrative grants are eligible expenditures net of any state match.  Examples of expenditures are salary/benefits of staff assigned an internal order, designating 100% of their activity as related to the federal grant, and salary/benefit costs of the Office of Financial Management and Administration as determined through the use of time sheets.  It is  determined that federal funding will exceed personnel/benefit costs, operating expenditures are charged as incurred for the specific benefiting program for travel, printing and office supplies.  Other methods used to allocated operation costs are:  postage, leases of photocopy machines and paper - based on historic usage as captured by codes placed on equipment; real estate lease, based on square footage; other miscellaneous charges, prorated across all benefiting programs.