Agencies get $338K to aid crime victims

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County-area agencies that help crime victims will receive more state and federal financial help.

Several victim-service agencies will receive a combined $338,000 in grants. The grants are part of the annual awards of the State Victims Assistance Act and the federal Victims of Crime Act, coordinated by the Crime Victim Section of the attorney general’s office.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine approved awarding more than $17.5 million in grants to victim-service agencies throughout the state.

The Help Hotline Crisis Center serving Mahoning, Columbiana, and Trumbull counties, was awarded $47,000, the Children and Family Services Crime Victims Program was awarded $160,400, the Criminal Justice Program in the Office of the Mahoning County Prosecutor will receive $118,000, and the Mahoning County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program was awarded $13,000.

“As a former county prosecutor, I have seen firsthand how important victims’ services are in the healing process, and I am pleased to be able to grant these awards,” state Attorney General Mike DeWine said.

Of the total awarded throughout the state, about $3.4 million was provided through the State Victim Assistance Act with funding from Ohio’s Crime Victim Compensation Fund. Money for the fund comes from federal sources, court costs paid by defendants statewide, and driver’s license reinstatement fees.

Administered by the state attorney general’s office, the fund helps thousands of crime victims annually through grants to nonprofits and public agencies and eligible reimbursements to victims for some of the costs they incurred because of the crimes against them.

The federal Victims of Crime Act provided the balance of the total grants announced today. These awards are administered by a number of agencies across the country.