| California State University Fresno Fresno, California June 8-13, 2003 |
| Washburn University Topeka, Kansas June 8-13, 2003 |
| The Medical University of South Carolina Charleston, South Carolina June 22-27, 2003 |
| Sponsored by Office for Victims of Crime |
The 2003 National Victim Assistance Academy presents a university-based, foundation-level, 40-hour course of study on victimology, victims' rights, and victim services.
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) in the U.S. Department of Justice is sponsoring the ninth National Victim Assistance Academy during the weeks of June 8-13, 2003 and June 22-27, 2003. The intensive 40-hour Academy will be conducted at three universities across the nation and will feature a nationally recognized faculty. Approximately 350 students will be selected to attend the Academy this year. A Certificate of Completion from the U.S. Department of Justice will be awarded upon successful completion of the course, and academic credit at both the undergraduate and graduate levels is available from two of the three co-sponsoring universities. OVC is supporting the Academy course of study and providing course materials. The following three universities are scheduled to host the 2003 National Victim Assistance Academy:
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The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is a federal agency within the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Congress formally established OVC in 1988 through an amendment to the 1984 Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) to provide leadership and funding on behalf of crime victims.
OVC provides federal funds to support victim compensation and assistance programs across the Nation. OVC also provides training for diverse professionals working with victims, develops and disseminates publications, supports projects to enhance victims' rights and services, and educates the public about victim issues.
The mission of OVC is to enhance the Nation's capacity to assist crime victims and to provide leadership in changing attitudes, policies, and practices to promote justice and healing for all victims.
Know More . . . Ask OVC 1-800-627-6872 TTY 1-877-712-9279
The Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVC TTAC) was established by OVC to support victim services across the country. It assists victim service providers, advocates, and allied professionals in learning new skills and adopting best practices to enhance their continued success in providing quality victim services. The mission of OVC TTAC is to bridge the gap between knowledge, experience, and victim services practice to help the still-evolving victim services field successfully meet the challenges of an increasingly complex service delivery environment. OVC TTAC offers both online and on-site training and technical assistance (TA) opportunities.
With quick access to a network of experienced consultants and a Consortium of Victim Assistance Experts, OVC TTAC makes available the resources needed by service providers to ensure responsive programming, sound management processes, and effective operations that garner results.
California State University-Fresno (CSUF) was the first university in the Nation to develop and conduct a program of study in victim services in 1985. Today it offers an undergraduate degree in victimology, a graduate degree with a specialization in victimology, and a monthlong summer institute on Victim Services. The Department of Criminology has a long history of providing academic credit (undergraduate and graduate) for OVCsponsored training. CSUF, along with Washburn University, also currently provides education and training through the Joint Center on Violence and Victim Studies.
The National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina has been devoted to developing a better understanding of the impact of criminal victimization of adults, children, and their families since 1974. Its nationally recognized faculty conducts research, professional education, and clinical service and provides public policy consultation at the local, state, federal, and international levels on a broad range of victim-related topics.
Washburn University has offered professional and academic education in victim assistance since 1995. The Human Services Department in the School of Applied Studies offers an associate, bachelor, and academic certificate in victim/survivor services. Washburn is also home to the Joint Center on Violence and Victim Studies, an interdisciplinary affiliation between Washburn University and California State University at Fresno. The Center offers advanced level and special topic professional education and consultation throughout the United States.
The Office for Victims of Crime encourages a broad representation of individuals, organizations and agencies that serve crime victims to attend, including:
Federal, State, Local, and International Criminal Justice-based Programs:
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Community-based Programs Serving:
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Specialized Programs Including:
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A separate application form is included with this brochure. Please share this announcement with other victim service and allied professionals who wish to apply to the Academy. In order to be eligible for selection, candidates must submit the original and two copies of the typed application form and two letters of recommendation-fax copies will not be considered. Applications must be received at OVC TTAC by Monday, April 7, 2003. Students will be notified of their selection status by April 25, 2003.
All students must register on campus by 12:00 p.m. on either Sunday, June 8 or Sunday, June 22. The Academy will close on Friday afternoon, June 13 or June 27 at 4:00 p.m. Please plan your travel accordingly. Students will be expected to participate fully in the entire Academy course, stay in university housing, and utilize the meal plan. The Academy team works with each university to provide Academy student housing and meals at a low cost. The all-inclusive cost to students for tuition, all course materials, housing, and meals will be $300 for the week. Advance payment of these costs and confirmation of intent to attend must be submitted to OVC TTAC upon notification of acceptance to the Academy. For information about NVAA scholarships, please contact OVC TTAC.
The Academy offers a rigorous, foundation-level course of study for students seeking to gain comprehensive and basic education on a broad range of topics. The curriculum is geared toward victim service providers and allied professionals with between one and five years of experience in working with crime victims. Applicants will be asked to designate their week of choice for the Academy. If the week of June 8th is chosen, applicants will be asked to indicate their site preference.
The 40-hour academic-based, rigorous course curriculum emphasizes foundations in victimology and victims' rights and services, as well as new developments in the field of victim assistance. While it is assumed that students have had previous training in their areas of specialization, this course focuses on academic training that is foundation-level, broadbased, and inclusive of a wide range of victim-related topics. The interactive, skills-building course of study includes lectures, interactive exercises, working and discussion groups, computer laboratories, faculty mentoring groups, and selfexaminations. State-of-the-art adult learning techniques are incorporated into every aspect of the Academy program.
The Academy will be conducted simultaneously on the campuses of California State University in Fresno, California, and Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, the week of June 8. A third NVAA will be conducted by the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina, during the week of June 22. Each site will have a team of expert faculty in residence, including nationally recognized faculty, who will teach course sections, lead group discussions and laboratory exercises, and conduct faculty mentoring sessions.
The prestigious Academy faculty represents nationally recognized leaders in the fields of victimology, criminal justice, and victims' rights and services including faculty from co-sponsoring academic institutions; speakers from national crime victims' organizations; and local, state, and federal victims' rights and criminal justice experts. Over 60 faculty members lend their expertise to conduct Academy classes each year.
A comprehensive Academy text covering 38 different subject areas has been developed to serve as the course curriculum. Academy students will be expected to attend the entire program and to participate in laboratory and working group sessions. In addition, students will be required to complete all pre-Academy reading assignments.
Academic credit at both the graduate and undergraduate levels has been offered by both of these nationally accredited universities: California State University-Fresno and Washburn University. Three full academic credits will be provided for successful completion of the 40-hour course curriculum and fulfillment of all requisite conditions for undergraduate and graduate credit. The course credit is transferrable worldwide. A fee of $120 for academic credit is required to cover administrative costs in processing course credit. Academic credit for attendance at the Academy at the Medical University of South Carolina will be provided through either California State University-Fresno or Washburn University.
Upon successful completion of the entire Academy course, including participation in all Academy sessions, students will be awarded a certificate from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime. An additional certificate will be awarded from the two universities offering academic credit to students who elect to receive academic credit.
| Each host university contributes to the Academy in invaluable ways-from the academic expertise lent by their faculty to providing state-of-the-art learning facilities for Academy instruction. Each Academy student has access to OVC's newest products and resources through the OVC Resource Center (OVCRC) via an on-site exhibit-from educational videos to resource kits and training curricula to guides and pamphlets for assisting victims of crime. |
Scope of Crime and Historical Review of the Victims' Rights Discipline
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The Criminal Justice System
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Specific Justice Systems and Victims' Rights
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Restorative Justice/Community Justice
Financial Assistance for Victims of Crime
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Mental Health Needs
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Specific Victim Topics
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Research and Evaluation
The News Media Coverage of Crime and Victimization
Collaboration for Victims' Rights and Services
Professionalizing the Discipline of Victim Services
Innovative Technologies and the Information Age
New Developments on Specific Issues
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Special Interactive Sessions
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NVAA Videotape Series
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Checklist for Applicants
Have you enclosed the following:
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