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 $81,740.00, from the Georgia Criminal Justice \n \n Coordinating Council along with $47,515.00, from the Five Percent Crime Victim \n \n Surcharge Fund allocated in the FY08 Budget, to provide funding for Crime \n \n Victim Assistance in the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit from October 1, 2007, \n \n to September 30, 2008.

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 $7,000.00, with an In-Kind Mach

of $1,750.00. 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 expand 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 $75,160.00

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

VOCA grant was allocated in the amount of $157,000.00. This money was used for

equipment and to maintain the three added full time positions.

Analysis

For FY 2008 The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council allocated $81,740.00 for

the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit to support the Crime Victim Assistance

Program from October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2008. 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 2008

Fiscal Year. The total amount of $129,255.00 represents the operating budget

for salaries and benefits of three grant funded positions.



Grant Funded Crime Victim Advocate (per position)



SALARY 30,152.00 ea.

RET 4,824.00 ea.

FICA 2,307.00 ea.

LIFE INS 151.00 ea.

HEALTH 5,650.00 ea.



TOTAL $ 43,084.00 ea.

Financial Considerations

The grant funding total is $81,740.00 with an in-kind match of 25%. The

in-kind match is provided from donated volunteer services and office space

provided by the Columbus Consolidated Government. $47,515.00 from the Five

Percent Crime Victim Surcharge Fund is allocated in the FY08 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 accepts a grant of $81.741.00 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.





A RESOLUTION



NO. _____

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION, ON

BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, AND IF APPROVED ACCEPT A VOCA GRANT OF

$81,740.00, FROM THE GEORGIA CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL ALONG WITH

$47, 515.00, FROM THE FIVE PERCENT CRIME VICTIM ASSISTANCE SURCHARGE FUND

ALLOCATED IN THE FY08 BUDGET, TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR CRIME VICTIM ASSISTANCE IN

THE CHATTAHOOCHEE JUDICIAL CIRCUIT FROM OCTOBER 1, 2007 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30,

2008, and amend the Multi-Governmental Fund by like amount.

WHEREAS, the District Attorney is requesting the acceptance of a VOCA

Grant in the amount of $81,740.00. The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council

has allocated $81,740.00 for a twelve month period, to support innocent victims

of violent crimes under the 1996 Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), along with

$47,515.00 from the Crime Victim Assistance Surcharge allocated in the FY08

Budget for salaries and benefits; and,

WHEREAS, the In-Kind Match of $20,435.00 is provided from donated

professional counseling services and office space, located at 100 10th Street,

1st Floor, West Wing, Columbus GA 31901. Theses figures are based on a twelve

month period; and,

WHEREAS, the funding will be used to maintain three full time Crime

victim Advocate positions, funded in the FY08 grant from the Criminal Justice

Coordinating Council. Grant funding will provide crime victim assistant

services in Chattahoochee County , Harris County, Marion County, Muscogee

County, Talbot County, and Taylor County, which is mandated by Georgia Law; and,

WHEREAS, the District Attorney's Office will continue to supervise the

operation of the Crime Victim Assistance Program in the Chattahoochee Judicial

Circuit from October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2008.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY

RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:

That the City Manager is hereby authorized to submit and if approved,

accept a grant of 81,740.00 from the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating

Council along with $47,515.00 of the Five Percent Surcharge allocated in the

FY08 Budget to fund the Crime Victim Assistance Program which will extend over

a twelve month period beginning October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2008.

___________

Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia, held

the _________day of _____________, and adopted at said meeting by the

affirmative vote of _____________members of said Council.

Councilor Allen voting __________.

Councilor Anthony voting __________.







Councilor Henderson voting __________.

Councilor Hunter voting __________.

Councilor McDaniel voting __________.

Councilor Turner Pugh voting __________.

Councilor Woodson voting __________.



___________________________________ _____________________________

Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council , Mayor

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