To

Mayor and Council

Subject

VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) - Crime Assistance Grant

Initiator

City Manager's Office

Recommendation

Approval is requested to authorize the District Attorney to submit and if \n \n approved accept a grant of $82,087 from the Georgia Criminal Justice \n \n Coordinating Council along with $41,533.00 from the Five Percent Crime Victim \n \n Surcharge Fund allocated in the FY07 Budget to provide funding for Crime Victim \n \n Assistance in the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit from October 1, 2006 to \n \n September 30, 2007.

Approval

Approved

Background

The District Attorney's Office has been operating a Crime Victim Assistance

Program in the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit since July 1989. In October of

1992 the Crime Victim-Witness Assistance Program was awarded the Crime Victim

Assistance Grant in the amount of $7,000 with an In-Kind Match of $1,750. This

grant was budgeted within the District Attorney's Crime Victim Assistance

Budget. In July of 1995 the Crime Victim Assistance Program received

additional funds from the Crime Victim Assistance Surcharge. The surcharge

allowed the program to be expanded to provide services in all counties in the

Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit with each county providing support from funds

collected from the surcharge. In FY97 the program received a $75,160 grant and

used the funds to add three full-time positions. In FY98 a two-year VOCA grant

was allocated in the of 157,000. This money was used to maintain the three

added full time positions and for equipment.

Analysis

For FY2007 The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council allocated $82,087 for the

Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit to support the Crime Victim Assistance Program

from October 1, 2006 through September 30, 2007. The District Attorney

requests Council's authorization to use funds obtained from the Five Percent

Crime Victim Surcharge Funds.



The Victim-Witness Assistance Program of the District Attorney's Office

requests approval of funding from the Five Percent Crime Surcharge for its 2007

Fiscal Year. The total amount of $123,620 represents an operating budget for

salaries and benefits.



Grant Funded Crime Victim Advocate (per position)



Salary $ 27,832.64

FICA $ 2,129.20

Retirement $ 4,453.23

Health $ 5,400.00

Life $ 1,391.64



Total Expense $ 41,206.71 x 3 = 123,620

Financial Considerations

The grant funding total is $82,087 with an in-kind match of 25%. The in-kind

match is provided from donated professional counseling services and office

space provided by the Columbus Consolidated Government. $41,533 from the Five

Percent Crime Victim Surcharge Fund is allocated in the FY07 Budget to also

provide funding for the Crime Victim Assistance Program.

Projected Annual Fiscal Impact Statement

Legal Considerations

Georgia Law requires that the prosecutor, and the District Attorney provide

extensive services, information and notification to crime victims. (O.C.G.A.

-17-17-1) The District Attorney is solely and directly responsible for

complying with this law. The legislature enacted the Victims' Bill of Rights

mandating that the District Attorney comply with the law. The legislature

acknowledging the additional burdens placed on prosecutors, designed laws

enabling prosecutors to provide the services, and provided a fund from which

the prosecutor may draw to fund the costs.

Recommendations/ Actions

Authorize to submit and if approved accept a grant of $82,087 from the Georgia

Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to continue the Crime Victim Assistance

Program in the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit. This will provide funding for

three (3) full time Crime Victim Advocate positions for the duration of the

grant period.

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