Concord, NH – Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald announces the release of the New Hampshire Victim's Needs Assessment Online Survey.

As part of this survey, victims of crime are encouraged to provide feedback related to their experience and satisfaction with the support services they received in New Hampshire.

Stakeholder groups will also have the opportunity to participate in a separate survey. Information received from both the perspective of victims and stakeholders will assist in identifying and remedying gaps in the support services currently provided.

The New Hampshire Department of Justice receives and distributes federal Victims of Crime Act [VOCA] funding in the form of grants to support providers of direct services to victims of crime. Victims of crime include persons who have suffered from physical, sexual, financial or emotional harm.

The United States Congress recently lifted the distribution limit on VOCA funds, and the New Hampshire Department of Justice has received substantial increases in funding.

"The increase in VOCA funds coming to New Hampshire creates an important opportunity for our state. It is critical that we assess how we are currently serving victims of crime, how we can improve what we are doing and how we should be planning for the years ahead," said Attorney General MacDonald. "The Victim's Needs Assessment is intended to gather the type of information we need to make informed decisions."

The New Hampshire Victim's Needs Assessment Online Survey is available now until March 15, 2019 at www.NHCrimesurvey.com and can be accessed by anyone who is a victim of a crime. It is not a prerequisite that a victim reported a crime in order to have the opportunity to respond to the survey. The stakeholder survey will also be available through March 15, 2019 at www.NHStakeholdersurvey.com. Hard copies are available by request – please call (603) 271-1261. Both surveys can be accessed on the homepage at www.doj.nh.gov.

The confidential administration and analysis of this survey will be conducted by the survey research and evaluation firm, Market Decisions Research, of Portland, ME.