Accessing Information: OVC Resource Center and Other Services

VICTIMS' RESOURCES IN THE INFORMATION AGE

The enormous growth of the Web and the advent of information technologies have changed the way in which information about crime victims' issues is made available to victims and survivors, researchers, advocates, and practitioners. Today, victims and victim service providers can instantly access an enormous amount of information specific to their needs, including the latest research findings, statistical reports, program descriptions, grant and funding sources, evaluations on victim issues, promising practices, and referrals to professional organizations in the victim-serving community.

For victims and victim service providers, information access begins with the Office for Victims of Crime Resource Center (OVCRC) at the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS), administered by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

OVCRC is your primary source for crime victim information with services accessible 24-hours-a-day through the Web. Information and publications from all OJP agencies: Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), National Institute of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Bureau of Justice Statistics, and Bureau of Justice Assistance, as well as the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Other online services include the Justice Information (JUSTINFO) Electronic Newsletter, e-mail inquiries, the Calendar of Events Database, and the Online Ordering Store. NCJRS also has highly trained information specialists to personally answer questions and direct individuals to the best available resources. Furthermore, NCJRS offers allied professionals an opportunity to be placed on its mailing list to receive up-to-date information via the Justice Resource Update. Through online services and personal assistance, NCJRS can help advocates know more to better serve the needs of crime victims.

Accessing Resources

NCJRS Web site. Through www.ncjrs.gov, customers can access publications; learn about funding opportunities; search an online library, abstracts database, and calendar of events; order publications; and post requests for assistance.

Justice Information (JUSTINFO) Electronic Newsletter. Stay informed about news and resources from all OJP agencies, including OVC, OVW, and ONDCP. This free, online newsletter is distributed to you via e-mail on the 1st and 15th of each month. Subscribe to JUSTINFO through the NCJRS Web site. Select customer services at www.ncjrs.gov.

Information and Help. Customers who require technical assistance or have questions about victimization, criminal and juvenile justice, or other topics can post their requests at http://askncjrs.ncjrs.gov/.

Other Online Victim-Related Resources

To present the most comprehensive and timely information available through this vast medium, OVC has substantially enhanced its online resources. For example, OVC launched its award-winning Directory of Crime Victim Services in July 2004 as an online tool to help victims of crime find national and international assistance services quickly and easily, and to help victim service providers make appropriate referrals. OVC encourages victims and victim service providers to visit this resource at http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/findvictimservices/. In addition, OVC's Web Forum allows you to tap into a national network of people facing the same challenges and experiences that you are. It's the perfect place for victim service providers and allied professionals to gain peer insight and support related to best practices in victim services. Make connections. Share ideas. Change lives. Visit OVC's Web Forum at http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ovcproviderforum/.

Many other agencies and organizations are now providing victim-related information through the Web. Below is a list of sites that offer information about selected crime and victimization topics. Please note that this list is intended only to provide a sample of available resources, and does not constitute an endorsement of opinions, resources, or statements made therein. Further, neither OVC nor Justice Solutions endorses any commercial products that may be advertised or available on any site. For more information about NCJRS, please call (800) 851-3420.

Federal Agencies/Resources

National Victim-Related Organizations

National Criminal and Juvenile Justice- and Public Policy-Related Associations

State Crime Victim Compensation Programs

State VOCA Victim Assistance Agencies

Federal and State Corrections (Adults)

State Corrections (Juvenile)

Victims' Rights Compliance Programs

Other Victim Resources

Legal Research/Resources

Media