Dec 20, 2024 Story by: Editor
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) have addressed a letter to acting Assistant Attorney General Brent Cohen, urging that victims and families impacted by police violence be granted access to the Department of Justice’s Crime Victims Fund.
The Crime Victims Fund, created in 1984 and managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, supports various programs designed to assist victims immediately after a crime. With over $2 billion currently held in the fund, millions of dollars are annually allocated for victim compensation and programs aimed at enhancing support for those affected by crime.
However, the lawmakers pointed out that families affected by police violence have faced challenges accessing the fund’s resources.
“Numerous victims and families have alerted us to the challenges they face in securing assistance after enduring abuse at the hands of law enforcement,” the letter stated, which was first obtained by The Hill. “This issue impacts individuals at the local, state, and federal levels and requires your immediate attention.”
In the letter, Pressley and Markey outlined obstacles these families face, including jurisdictions that mandate victims of police misconduct to seek assistance from the same police department responsible for their abuse.
Additionally, many victims are unaware of how or when they can access resources, such as counseling and support services. The lawmakers emphasized the urgency of addressing these issues as police brutality continues to be a widespread concern across the nation.
According to Mapping Police Violence, 1,250 people were killed by police in 2024, with Black Americans being 2.8 times more likely to be killed than their white counterparts.
Despite efforts to address these issues, including protests and legislative initiatives like the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, significant policy changes have not been achieved.
Nevertheless, as Pressley and Markey pointed out, “the pain experienced by victims’ families and communities remains.”
Now, the Democratic lawmakers are calling on Cohen to issue public guidance to all federal, state, and local administrators of the Crime Victims Fund. The guidance would clarify and improve access to support and resources for individuals and families affected by police violence.
“Survivors of police violence and their families deserve and require tailored support from the Office for Victims of Crime,” the letter concluded. “It is incumbent upon your agency to ensure that victims of all crimes, including those affected by excessive use of force, have the resources needed to set them on a pathway to healing.” Source: The Hill
