Concord, NH – Attorney General John M. Formella announces that the New Hampshire Department of Justice (NH DOJ) has received approval from the Governor & Executive Council and the Fiscal Committee of the General Court to accept and expend $5,000,000 in federal funding to sustain numerous critical victim services programs throughout the Granite State.

"Without these funds many of the services available to victims of crime would be reduced dramatically or cease to exist," said Attorney General John Formella. "I am grateful to Governor Sununu, the Executive Council and the Fiscal Committee for their votes to authorize the New Hampshire Department of Justice to accept and expend these critical funds. These approvals will allow the Department of Justice to continue to address the need for crime victim services across New Hampshire by sub granting funds to the amazing organizations that provide these services throughout our State."

The Governor and Executive Council approved this request at their meeting today, and the Fiscal Committee of the General Court approved this request at their last meeting on Friday, February 17, 2023.

The NH DOJ subgrants funds for direct victim services that the State receives under the Victims of Crime Act Grant (VOCA). VOCA was created by Congress in 1984 to provide federal support to state and local programs that assist victims of crime. Fines paid by offenders of federal crimes are deposited into this fund. Money from the fund is then distributed to states for the benefit of victims of crime. However, due to reduced criminal fines and penalty deposits into the fund and non-prosecution agreements that divert funds for other purposes, VOCA awards have been reduced dramatically in recent years resulting in decreased subgrants to victim service providers.

This reduction has come at a time when victim service providers are experiencing an increase in need. For example, in New Hampshire, for calendar year 2022, calls to domestic violence and sexual assault crisis lines increased by approximately 63% and emergency shelters, for domestic violence victims, increased by approximately 30% compared to 2019.

VOCA funds are used to support services for victims of all types of crimes annually through direct service organizations such as domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, and child abuse treatment programs.  Historically the funding has been vital in its support of traditional victim service provides, particularly within domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse cases, and justice system-based Victim/Witness Programs.

In New Hampshire more than 40 victim services organizations receive VOCA funds to support many of their crucial programs, including the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (NHCADSV) as well as the State's 13 Crisis Centers, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Granite State Children's Alliance (OSCA) and New Hampshire Legal Assistance (NHLA). VOCA funding is also used to fund advocates at the State's County Attorney Offices, several Police Departments, Granite State Child Advocacy Centers, the Granite United Way and Victims, Inc, just to name a few.  Some of these organizations are small and without the VOCA funding they would not be able to continue to support victims and provide much needed services.