Advocacy Library
MADD Urges Congress to Reject Plan to Divert Victims of Crime Act Fund
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On behalf of the millions of drunk driving victims and survivors MADD represents, we strongly oppose the Administration's plan to transfer the $1.27 billion in the Victims of Crime Act Fund to the general treasury and urge Congress to reject the proposal .Diverting the funds away from victim services will create a disastrous situation for all crime victim service organizations including MADD. If the VOCA Fund is rescinded, there will be no money available in 2007 for state victim assistance and crime victim compensation funds. Ultimately, the ones who will pay the highest price are the victims themselves.The Fund was created under the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) in 1984 with the support of President Ronald Reagan in order to pay for victim services and compensations. Since then, Congress has repeatedly pledged that the offender-generated monies deposited into the Fund would be dedicated to helping crime victims and supporting various victim services. It is disheartening to see the current Administration disregard the original and on-going intent of the Fund.Drunk driving is still the most frequently committed crime in America. The devastating and violent consequences of these tragedies are reflected in the thousands of victim/survivor families that MADD serves each year. Last year alone, MADD served more than 31,000 victims/survivors of drunk driving in part due to the VOCA funding that the organization received. As one of the leading crime victim assistance organizations in the nation, MADD received VOCA grants in 30 states totaling more than $4.2 million in FY 2005. This funding helps us employ more than 100 victim advocates, provide on-going training for more than 1,000 certified volunteer victim advocates, support MADD offices and provide supportive materials to victims of drunk driving. Research shows that three out of every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lifetime. Every year, more than 17,000 people are killed and half a million others are injured in alcohol-related traffic crashes.
MADD has served bereaved and injured drunk driving victims/survivors since the organization started in 1980. More than 1,200 trained victim advocates across the country are available the moment a family is tragically touched by drunk driving and for as long as needed. Victim advocates help victims find support groups, apply for federal crime victim compensation funds, write victim impact statements and even attend DUI criminal and civil court proceedings with victim families or in place of them. It is imperative that VOCA funding continue in order for millions of victims to continue their journey of healing.
TAKE ACTION NOW!
Write your members of Congress to express your support of victims of crime.