Agenda Item # 6
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
12/06/2016
Agenda Report # 70
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: 2016-2017 ? Crime Victim Assistance Grant
INITIATED BY: Solicitor General?s Victim Witness Assistance Program
Recommendation: Approval is requested to accept a Federal VOCA (Victims of
Crimes Act) Grant in the amount of $70,593 from the Georgia Criminal Justice
Coordinating Council and approved matching funding of $5,287 from the five
percent crime victim surcharge fund for the Solicitor General?s Victim
Assistance Program. Amend the Multi Governmental Fund (216) to reflect these
revenues and expenses.
Background: The Solicitor General?s Victim Assistance program was organized in
1997 to manage misdemeanor crime victims? needs and services, participate in
law enforcement and community training and awareness, coordinate in-office
investigation and prosecution, coordinate community intervention and prevention
efforts, and maintain necessary documentation to maintain funding.
In 1998, the Solicitor General?s Victim Witness Assistance program obtained a
Federal VOCA (Victims of Crimes Act) Grant. The VOCA Grant Program supports
direct services to crime victims, I.e., persons who have suffered physical,
sexual, financial, or emotional harm as a result of the commission of crime.
Since 1998 , the Solicitor General?s Victim Witness Program has provided direct
services to crime victims by: interviewing and photographing victims, making
referrals to area assistance agencies, accompanying victims to court, obtaining
information to deliver to the court as victim impact statements for sentencing,
assisting in filing victim compensation claims and obtaining restitution,
tracking probation violations, helping victims obtain protective services and
orders, making efforts to insulate victims from defendants? actions, and
explaining the prosecution process to victims and families. The Victim
Assistance office provides assistance to approximately 2400 if not more, crime
victims in State Court each year.
The VOCA Grant awarded to the Solicitor General?s Victim Witness Assistance
Program is administered through the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council
(CJCC) and the prosecuting Attorney?s Council of Georgia (PACGA). The grant
amount is $70,593. This grant funds, in part, the Victim Assistance Judicial
Technician II and the Victim Advocate position in the Solicitor General?s
Victim Witness Assistance Office. The remaining balance of the salary and
benefits of the Judicial Technician II position and benefits of that position
($5,287) are funded from the five percent crime victim surcharge funds ?which
have been used in years past as the ?matching? funds required by the grant.
Analysis: The Solicitor General?s Victims Witness Assistance program has again
been awarded a Federal VOCA Grant in the amount of $70,593 for FY 16/17. City
council is requested to accept the grant and authorize disbursement from the
five percent crime victim surcharge fund in the amount of $5,287 to continue to
fund the positions and meet the matching requirements of the VOCA Grant.
Council has approved the grant and the matching funding from the five percent
crime victim surcharge fun for the years. This is not a new request.
Financial Consideration: This office requests disbursement of funds from the
five percent crime victim surcharge fund. Grant use requirements stipulate
that the ?match? provided by the grant recipient must include personnel. The
grant funds will pay $70,593 of the salary and benefits of the Victim
Assistance Judicial Technician II and the Victim Advocate position. The city
is reimbursed from the VOCA grant for the $70,593 in salary for the Victim
Assistance Judicial Technician II and the Victim Advocate position.
Non-reimbursed salary is requested from the five percent crime victim
assistance surcharge fund. The surcharge fund is specially tagged for funding
of victim/witness assistance programs (O.C.G.A. 15-21-132(a)(1). The Solicitor
General?s Office, prosecuting in State Court, is a major source of this five
percent crime victim surcharge fund pool. For years, Council has previously
approved the grant and use of the five percent crime victim surcharge for this
purpose.
Legal Considerations: Georgia law requires that the prosecutor, her, the
Solicitor General, provide extensive services, information and notification to
crime victims. (O.C.G.A 17-7-1 et. seq.) The Solicitor General is directly
responsible for complying with the law. The Georgia legislature exacted the
Victims? Bill of Rights mandating that the Solicitor General comply with the
law.
Additionally, the Georgia Legislature, acknowledging the additional burdens
placed on prosecutors, designed laws enabling prosecutors to provide services
directly to victims and the Legislature provided a fund from which the
prosecutors to provide services directly to victims and the legislature
provided a fund from which the prosecutor may draw to fund the costs incurred
therefore. (O.C.G.A 15-21-130 et. Seq.) These funds are derived from a five
percent penalty assessed on fines ordered in Muscogee County Courts (Crime
Victim Surcharge Fund). The amount collected in this fund is substantial.
The governing Authority (City Council) authorizes grant award acceptance,
approves the disbursement from the five percent crime victim surcharge fund,
and enables the Solicitor General to administer the program in compliance with
applicable laws.
Recommendations/Actions: (1) Approves acceptance of the $70,593 Federal VOCA
Grant award; (2) Approve the request for disbursement of funds from the five
percent surcharge in the amount of $5,287 to help continue to fund the
Solicitor General?s Victim Assistance positions and meet the ?matching?
requirement of the Grant; and, (3) amend the Multi Government Fund (216) to
reflect these revenues and expenses.
A RESOLUTION
NO. ______
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SOLICITOR GENERAL TO ACCEPT A VOCA GRANT AWARD OF
$70,593 AND APPROVE FUNDING OF $5,287 FROM THE FIVE PERCENT CRIME VICTIM
SURCHARGE FUND TO OPERATE THE SOLICITOR GENERAL?S VICTIM WITNESS ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM FROM OCTOBER 1, 2016 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2017. AMEND THE MULTI
GOVERNMENTAL FUND 92160 TO REFLECT THESE REVENUE AND EXPENSE.
WHEREAS, the Solicitor-General designed a Victim Witness Assistance Program in
1997, which specially address the needs of misdemeanor crime victims; and,
WHEREAS, the funds are requested to finance personnel and budget of the
Solicitor-General?s Victim Witness Assistance Program to provide services
mandated by Georgia Law; and,
WHEREAS, the Solicitor-General is requesting the acceptance of a $70,593
Federal Grant Award and approve funding of $5,287 from the five percent Crime
Victim Surcharge fund for salary and benefits; and,
WHEREAS, if accepted, Federal grant monies will reimburse the City for salary,
and benefits for the excluding applicable Federal and State taxes.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA HEREBY RESOLVES:
That the City Manager is hereby authorized to accept a Grant funds for the
Solicitor General?s Victim/Witness Assistance program from VOCA, a Federal
grant, and approve the use of $5,287 from the Crime Victim Assistance Surcharge
to fund the remaining portion. Amend the Multi Governmental Fund (216) to
reflect the revenue and expenses.
______________________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia, held the
_________ day of _____________ 2016, and adopted at said meeting by the
affirmative vote of _____________ members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting __________.
Councilor Baker voting __________.
Councilor Barnes voting __________.
Councilor Davis voting __________.
Councilor Garrett voting __________.
Councilor Henderson voting __________.
Councilor Huff voting __________.
Councilor Thomas voting __________.
Councilor Turner Pugh voting __________.
Councilor Woodson voting __________.
_______________________________ __________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor
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