The Crime Victims Fund and Federal Service Awards

Each year the Crime Victims Fund Awards are presented to recognize exemplary achievements by individuals whose work has improved the treatment of crime victims throughout the country. As part of the commemoration, the Attorney General honors individuals or teams whose extraordinary efforts support funding for crime victims programs through collections for the Crime Victims Fund. This year a new award, the Federal Service Award, will honor teams and individuals whose efforts have been particularly innovative and pioneering and have exemplified commitment to providing the highest possible service to victims of federal crime.

About the Crime Victims Fund

The Crime Victims Fund was established by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984. Each year, millions of dollars are deposited into the Fund from criminal fines, forfeited bail bonds, penalty fees, and special assessments collected by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, U.S. Courts, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and other federal agencies. These dollars come from federal criminals, not from taxpayers.

The Fund serves as a major funding source for victim services throughout the country. It supports state crime victim compensation programs, as well as more than 4,700 local victim assistance agencies and services such as domestic violence shelters, children's advocacy centers, rape crisis programs, and criminal justice advocacy.

Deposits into the Fund fluctuate from year to year. From 1996 through 2000, the following amounts were deposited into the Fund:

1996: $528,941,562
1997: $362,891,434
1998: $324,038,486
1999: $985,185,354 (spending capped at $500 million)
2000: $776,954,858 (spending capped at $535 million)

Crime Victims Fund Awards emphasize the importance of the Fund and publicly recognize those professionals whose valuable work helps sustain it.

Award recipients will be honored at a special ceremony to be held in Washington, D.C. Past award recipients have included Assistant U.S. Attorneys and Financial Litigation Unit staff within U.S. Attorneys' Offices; Inmate Financial Responsibility Program staff within the Bureau of Prisons; debt collection agents of the U.S. Marshals Service; Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Immigration and Naturalization Service; staff of the U.S. Courts; and Antitrust Division Trial Attorneys. More information on previous award recipients can be found on OVC's home page.

Nomination Submission Guidelines

1. Each nomination form (included with this announcement) must be accompanied by a nomination letter. Your nomination letter should be submitted on official stationery and contain your signature, as well as your position/title. No anonymous nominations will be accepted.
   
   
2. Each nomination form must include all requested information. If you are nominating a team, provide the name, title, address, phone number, and e-mail address of the individual who will accept the award.
   
   
3. Your nomination letter should not exceed five single-spaced pages, and should fully reflect the extent of your nominee's accomplishments and services in support of the Fund. The nomination letter in support of a National Crime Victims Fund Award nominee should address each of the following selection criteria:
   
   
• Innovative use of existing procedures or laws that promote awareness of the objectives of the Fund.
  
  
• Creation of new procedures, laws, or regulations that promote awareness of the objectives of the Fund.
  
  
• A consistent increase (over fiscal year 2000) in deposits into the Fund due to aggressive management or collection practices.
  
  
• Notable achievement in training staff about fine collection, which promotes awareness of the objectives of the Fund.
  
  
• Outstanding investigation to discover previously undisclosed assets.


The nomination letter in support of a Federal Service Award should address each of the following criteria:


• Extraordinary assistance to federal crime victims.
  
  
• Substantiation of extended period of service to crime victims.
  
  
• Significant impact on the community or other jurisdictions.
  
  
• Innovative changes in attitudes, policies, or practices in victim services.
  
  
• Exceptional contributions "beyond the call of duty."
  
  
4. Your nomination package should include any additional information about the individual or team you are nominating that should be considered in the review process. Supporting documentation, such as newspaper articles or resumes, can be attached if it is pertinent to the nominee's contributions. Please note: Videos, bound publications, and notebooks should not be submitted. Only supporting documentation submitted with the nomination form will be accepted.

Eligibility Guidelines

1. You may nominate individuals, programs, or teams.
   
   
2. You may nominate candidates for the Fund Awards and the Federal Service Awards.
   
   
3. Candidates nominated in previous years are still eligible.
   
   
4. Elected officials are not eligible for consideration.

Your nomination form and supporting materials must be postmarked by Friday, January 18, 2002. Please mail one copy of the nomination package to:

Federal Crime Victims Division
Office for Victims of Crime
810 Seventh Street NW.
Washington, DC 20531
Attention: Cathy Sanders

Nominations can also be faxed to OVC at 202–514–6383.