OVC News and Announcements
To help you stay up to date with the latest news about crime victim services and events, this section will notify you about current OVC-focused initiatives and relevant topics and events with a primary focus on best practices. You are also encouraged to check out What's New at OVC.
Use the links below to be taken to the News and Announcements Archives.
2009 | 2008 | 2007
 Now Available Online: 2010 NCVRW Resource Guide
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week—Crime Victims’ Rights: Fairness. Dignity. Respect.—will be observed April 18–24, 2010.
To assist you with your planning for the week, OVC has released its annual NCVRW Resource Guide, developed to help communities and victim assistance providers promote awareness of crime victim issues and observe NCVRW.
The kit includes—
- Sample press materials.
- Customizable camera-ready art files in color and black and white.
- 2010 NCVRW Theme DVD and public service announcements for TV and radio.
- Customizable public awareness posters in English and Spanish.
- Statistical overviews and resources.
- And more!
For more information about 2010 NCVRW, visit www.ovc.gov/ncvrw.
## 02/23/10 ##
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BJS Revamps Its Web Site
The Bureau of Justice Statistics redesigned its Web site to provide not just a new look and feel, but to make it easier to find information. Realizing that people search for information in different ways, BJS now organizes its content by topic, information type, and data collection and enhanced its search tools to provide more precise results. You can conduct searches via keyword, information type, and topic or use the site map or index to get a bird's eye view.
Other new features include prominent placement of new products and announcements on the homepage, RSS feeds, and tutorials to help you become familiar with the site and its features.
One of eight topical sections included on the site, the Victims section allows you to drill down by subtopic to find data and research on—
- Victim characteristics (age, race/ethnicity, gender).
- Crime characteristics and trends (violent crime, property crime).
- Victims and offenders (stranger and nonstranger crime, demographics, alcohol or drug use by offenders).
- The crime event (weapon use, violent crime, age, race/ethnicity, gender).
- Reporting crimes to the police.
- Special topics (intimate partner violence, identity theft, stalking, school crime).
## 02/15/10 ##
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OVC Announces 2010 Training Workshops
OVC is pleased to offer specialized training workshops to enhance your capacity to better serve crime victims. The 2010 training schedule features popular established workshops such as Compassion Fatigue/Vicarious Trauma (April 7–8, 2010) and The Ultimate Trainer (August 17–19, 2010), as well as new workshops on Fundraising and Grant Writing (May 18–19, 2010) and Working with Victims with Disabilities (October 5–7, 2010).
Class size is limited to ensure an interactive learning environment so workshops are expected to fill quickly. Don't miss this excellent opportunity to build your practical technical skills and knowledge of victim service issues!
Visit the OVC Training Schedule to learn more about each of the workshops offered in 2010, register and pay online, read instructor biographies, or download the OVC Training Schedule Registration Form to enroll by mail.
OVC Professional Development Scholarships are available for training workshops. View the eligibility criteria for scholarship applications.
## 01/19/10 ##
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Year in Review: 2009 Guest Host Discussions
Look back at 2009 to re-discover the range of fascinating and informative discussions led by experts in the crime victim services field during OVC’s Guest Host Sessions series.
October–December 2009
- December 2009. Examining Correlations Between Substance Abuse and Victimization
Hosted by Steven D. Walker, Ph.D., Associate Dean of the College of Social Sciences at California State University Fresno and licensed clinical psychologist.
- November 2009. Working With Victims of Gang Violence
Co-hosted by Jeffrey Bergman, a detective in the Fairfax County (Virginia) Police Department’s Youth Services Division Gang Unit, and Pamela Kelly, a victim advocate in the Fairfax County Police Department’s Victim Service Section.
- November 2009. Serving Elder Abuse Victims in Indian Country
Hosted by Melissa Riley, manager of Unified Solutions’ Counseling and Faith-Based Services for Crime Victims in Indian Country Training and Technical Assistance Project.
- October 2009. Helping Children Exposed to Domestic Violence
Co-hosted by Sherry Hamby, Ph.D., coauthor of the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire, and Miriam Berkman, J.D., M.S.W., coordinator of the Child Development-Community Policing Program’s Domestic Violence Intervention Project.
January–September 2009
Visit Past Sessions for details on the complete list of 2009 Guest Host Sessions.
## 01/19/10 ##
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New Identity Theft Victim Assistance Online Training
According to the 2008 Identity Fraud Survey Report, which was released by Javelin Strategy & Research in February 2008, "over the past 12 months, 8.1 million Americans were victimized by identity fraud, a crime amounting to $45 billion." OVC has developed a new e-learning tool, Identity Theft Victim Assistance Online Training: Supporting Victims' Financial and Emotional Recovery, to provide victim advocates and other allied professionals with the tools they need to better understand and more effectively serve the numerous victims of identity theft and assist with their financial and emotional recovery.
Access this online training now to obtain information about the different types of identity theft, the laws that support victims' rights, and the various forms and paperwork that may need to be completed, as well as identity theft case studies and a list of resources and referral agencies.
Visit the Identity Theft Victim Assistance Online Training Web site for more information and answers to frequently asked questions, or to access the training modules.
In addition, OVC has conducted multiple Web Forum Guest Host Sessions on identity theft-related topics. You can view and download the transcripts now for the following Sessions:
Furthermore, OVC offers resources and publications designed specifically to help victims of identity theft.
## 09/30/09 ##
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National Training and Technical Assistance Needs Assessment Survey Now Online
OVC is conducting a new online National Training and Technical Assistance Needs Assessment Survey of victim service professionals.
Your input is vital! OVC asks that you take this unique opportunity to voice your training and technical assistance needs and express the extent of those needs. Your input will inform OVC’s program planning and assist the OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center in developing and designing new training opportunities for the victim services community.
Register now and receive a printable summary of your responses as well as a list of resources to help meet your identified needs.
## 09/30/09 ##
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