# Plain Language Summary: VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021

The Crime Victims Fund is a special pool of money set aside to help people who've been harmed by crimes. This money comes from fines and penalties that criminals have to pay when they're convicted or plead guilty. The VOCA Fix bill addresses a serious problem: the fund was running out of money and couldn't help all the victims who needed support.

Here's what happened and why this bill matters. When crime fines and penalties dropped significantly—partly because of fewer prosecutions during certain periods—the Crime Victims Fund couldn't keep up with the demand for victim services. States and organizations that help crime victims suddenly couldn't get the federal funding they'd been counting on. This meant counseling services, emergency shelters, legal aid, and other critical support for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, robbery, and other crimes had to be cut back or eliminated. The VOCA Fix bill essentially restores and stabilizes this funding so these services can continue operating without interruption.

The bill does this by making sure there's a steady, reliable source of money flowing into the Crime Victims Fund, even when criminal fines fluctuate. This affects crime victims directly—they'll have better access to counseling, emergency housing, legal representation, and other services they need to recover. It also affects the local organizations and nonprofits that provide these services, allowing them to maintain their staff and programs. For taxpayers, this means federal money is being redirected to help victims rather than sitting unused, and it prevents the need for emergency funding requests down the road.

VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021

Durbin, Richard J.

VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021 This bill adds a new source of revenue for the Crime Victims Fund and makes changes to formula grants supported by the fund. Specifically, the bill directs revenues collected from deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements to be deposited into the Crime Victims Fund. Currently, such revenues are deposited into the general fund of the Treasury. Additionally, the bill increases the percentage&#8212;from 60% to 75%&#8212;of state compensation payments to crime victims in the prior fiscal year used to calculate formula grants for state victim compensation programs. Finally, the bill directs states to waive the matching requirement for recipients of state victim assistance formula grants during and for one year after a pandemic-related national emergency. It also allows states to waive the matching requirement pursuant to a policy established by the state.