Arizona Voice for Crime Victims

Founded in 1996, Arizona Voice for Crime Victims (AVCV) was the first organization of its kind in the county, offering hope to crime victims in the form of no cost legal representation and social services solely for the purpose of asserting and enforcing their rights in state, federal and tribal courts. AVCV’s approach to delivering direct legal and social services to victims of crime in Arizona is holistic in nature. While AVCV represents all types of crime victims, under the RISE Project AVCV represents child-victims in the care of the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) to ensure they have an opportunity for meaningful participation throughout the criminal justice process.

Intake Gateway & Process for a Victim: Call (480)-600-2661

https://voiceforvictims.org

Jurisdiction serving (geographic and courts):	Arizona state, city, tribal, federal courts.
Victim population serving:	Child-victims in DCS care
Project Partners:	Arizona Department of Child Safety

Loyola Social Justice Law Center (California)

The Loyola Social Justice Law Center is a collection of legal clinics at Loyola Law School (LLS) at Loyola Marymount University. Under the RISE Project, LLS will launch the Crime Victims’ Rights Law Clinic Program help survivors access justice as defined by the survivor and to train new lawyers how to use legal systems and strategies to aid survivor ‘s access to justice on their own terms. The Clinic will create a knowledge base around crime victims’ rights by educating law students about the full spectrum of victim rights law in California and federally, conduct outreach to students, judges, prosecutors, public defenders, and community-based service providers to increase understanding the full spectrum of crime victim rights including, and directly serve crime victims in asserting their rights through direct legal representation and creating a sustainable referral system with trusted community partners to address the additional social and legal needs of crime victims.

Jurisdiction serving (geographic and courts):	Los Angeles County, Federal and State Courts.
Victim population serving:	Victims of violent crimes who frequently lack adequate access to justice, such as victims who are minors, have disabilities, are members of the LGBTQ population, are homeless, or are immigrant victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and trafficking or current defendants.
Project Partners:	LA City Attorney, LA District Attorney, Los Angeles Police Department, Dolores Mission, Homeboy Industries, LQTBQ Center Los Angeles, Disability Rights California, Peace Over Violence, Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking, Strength United, K&L Gates, Girardi & Keese, McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP

Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation

Since 2006, the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE) has existed to end sexual exploitation in this community, and since 2009, CAASE has done its work by providing no-cost, comprehensive legal services for survivors of sexual violation—including by representing those victimized within the context of the criminal justice system. The other pillars of CAASE’s work—Policy, Prevention, and Community Engagement—have a decade’s history working to improve policy, practice, and culture (both at the state and local level) so that various systems, including specifically the criminal justice system, improve the ways they understand, engage with, and respond to victims of rape and prostitution. Under the RISE Project CAASE provides legal representation to victims of sexual violence in Cook County while simultaneously enhancing critical community organizing to improve the public and criminal justice/legal landscape in Chicago for survivors of sexual violation as well as select participation in appellate practice for significant cases arising throughout Illinois.

Intake Gateway & Process for a Victim: Victims seeking an intake must call CAASE intake voicemail, 773-244-2230 x 204 and leave a message. CAASE Senior Paralegal and Paralegal will then followup with the victim to schedule an intake phone call within 2 business days.

Jurisdiction serving (geographic and courts):	Geographic: Cook County, Chicago, IL Courts: This project anticipates work done in Illinois state courts.
Victim population serving:	Victims of sexual assault and sex trafficking with select participation in appellate practice for significant cases arising throughout Illinois..
Project Partners:	No formal project partners.

Legal Aid Service of Broward County (Florida)

Legal Aid Service of Broward County (LAS) began serving victims of crime under Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding from the Florida Attorney General’s Office on June 2018, although trauma-informed services have been provided since it opened its doors in 1974. LAS serves survivors of all non-intimate partner crimes such as, adult or child sexual assault, bullying, identity theft, fraud, human trafficking, child victims of abuse, abandonment, or neglect, survivors of mass violence. Under the RISE Project, LAS, with project partner Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida, will provide victims of crimes in Broward County, Florida, with access to legal representation to assert and seek enforcement of their rights in criminal cases and collateral civil legal matters arising from the victimization.

Intake Gateway & Process for a Victim: The points of entry for our clients are as follows: physical office location; outreach locations attended by representatives of LAS and CCLA; telephone, when necessary due to inability to travel to office.

Jurisdiction serving (geographic and courts):	Broward County, Florida 117th Judicial Circuit
Victim population serving:	All victims of crime residing in Broward County, Florida
Project Partners:	Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida, Inc.

Michigan Coalition to End Domestic & Sexual Violence

The Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence (MCEDSV) has been on the forefront of demanding dignity for victims for more than forty years by applying a smart, bold standard to all prospective litigation to create new precedent for Michigan victims. Under the RISE Project MCEDSV will use extensive appellate knowledge to combat decisions that do not bolster victim rights. Under the RISE Project MCEDSV’s Survivor Law Clinic will accept referrals from its 73-member organizations and other community partners anywhere in the State of Michigan, including state, tribal, and federal courts.

Intake Gateway & Process for a Victim: Through a victim services organization, prosecutor, or police office either via email or phone or through online portal.

Jurisdiction serving (geographic and courts):	Anywhere in the State of Michigan, including state, tribal, and federal courts.
Victim population serving:	All crime victims regardless of victimization or income level.
Project Partners:	YWCA Kalamazoo

Montana Legal Services Association

Montana Legal Services Association (MLSA) is a private, nonprofit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to empower low-income Montanans. Their mission is to protect and enhance the legal rights of, and promote systemic change for, Montanans living in poverty. MLSA’s Crime Victims’ Rights Enforcement Project empowers victims of crime to assert and protect their legal rights within criminal proceedings; to keep themselves and their families safe from further violence; to help ensure victims’ meaningful and informed participation in the criminal process; and to work toward recovery and wholeness in the aftermath of a crime. Under the RISE Project, MLSA will add to it’s existing holistic crime victim legal services program. Learn more about victims’ rights in Montana at https://www.mtcrimevictimhelp.org/know-your-rights.

Intake Gateway & Process for a Victim: Helpline: 1-800-666-6899 or apply online at www.mtlsa.org

Jurisdiction serving (geographic and courts):	Statewide, including some tribal courts.
Victim population serving:	This project serves all victims of crime.
Project Partners:	Partnerships will be developed and sustained through channels including the established VLAN network which has over 40 relationships with crime victim service providers; the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (MCADSV); the Montana Department of Justice, Office for Victim Services; the Montana Office of the Court Administrator; the MT Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Civil Legal Work Group; the Montana County Attorney Association; and other networks.

Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center

The Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center (OCVJC) provides no cost legal assistance to victims of crime to protect and enforce their rights from the time of first report through post release control in state and federal court. In addition OCVJC provides victims’ rights training to nurses, advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, counselors, and community organizations, and resource referrals throughout Ohio. Under the RISE Project, OCVJC, with project partner Legal Aid of Western Ohio, will substantially increase the number of attorneys providing no cost victims’ rights enforcement services to victims of crime in Ohio, with a focus on the underserved 32 county western region of the state.

Intake Gateway & Process for a Victim: Crime victims may contact Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center (OCVJC) at 614-848-8500, or toll-free at 866-665-3330, to talk with an advocate about OCVJC’s services. If a crime victim would like to request legal assistance from OCVJC, they are asked to submit a Request for Assistance through the OCVJC website at https://www.ocvjc.org/request-for-assistance, which allows OCVJC to reduce the re-victimization inherent in forcing a crime victim to relay their story multiple times, while also allowing OCVJC to collect the necessary information to ensure that representation is possible. For victims without internet access, a request for assistance form can be mailed.

Mission/vision (if have one):	To increase the number of attorneys providing competent victims’ rights enforcement representation, thereby increasing the number of victims served in the underserved western portion of the state.
Jurisdiction serving (geographic and courts):	All state and federal courts in Ohio, with a focus on the underserved 32 county western region of the state.
Victim population serving:	All Ohio state and federal crime victims.
Project Partners:	Legal Aid of Western Ohio

South Carolina Victim Assistance Network

South Carolina Victim Assistance Network was created in response to a mandate in the S.C. Crime Victims Bill of Right for a network of service providers to be formed to better protect and serve victims of crime. Under the RISE Project will establish an Appellate Law Clinic to handle appeals of cases affecting victim rights and including collaboration with and training of pro bono and low bono attorney partners.

Intake Gateway & Process for a Victim: Services can be applied for by a telephone intake at (803) 509-6552 or by submitting a preliminary intake form at www.scvanlegal.org and having a follow-up call with intake staff.

Jurisdiction serving (geographic and courts):	All 46 counties within South Carolina at federal, state, and local levels.
Victim population serving:	South Carolina victims of violent crimes.
Project Partners:	SCVAN actively collaborates with federal, state and local agencies to advance victim rights. While there are no official project partners for this grant, these partnerships will continue in order to further and expand our mission.

Network of Victim Recovery of DC (Washington DC)

The Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC) is a nonprofit organization providing comprehensive case management and no cost legal services to all victims of crime in the District of Columbia. NVRDC’s holistic services are provided regardless of income, ethnicity, immigration status, sexual orientation, race, or gender identity/expression. NVRDC runs the District’s on-call crisis response services to survivors of sexual assault who receive a sexual assault forensic exam in the District of Columbia. NVRDC offers victims professional case management services combined with experienced crime victims’ rights attorneys. The legal staff also represent sexual assault survivors within the context of college or university administrative proceedings and Title IX enforcement and complaints. Under the RISE Project NVRDC provides no cost rights enforcement legal services to all crime victims in the District of Columbia with a focus on surviving family members of homicide, victims of hate crimes, and survivors of gender-based violence.

Intake Gateway & Process for a Victim: Potential clients can contact NVRDC during normal intake hours, Monday – Friday from 12 to 3 pm EST. Additionally, service requests forms can be submitted online at https://www.nvrdc.org/contact

Jurisdiction serving (geographic and courts):	DC Superior Court, the DC Court of Appeals, and the U.S. District Court for DC.
Victim population serving:	Surviving family members of homicide, victims of hate crimes, and survivors of gender-based violence.
Project Partners:	Project MOU partners include: 1. Choice Research Associates; 2. Collective Action for Safe Spaces; 3. NAARC Cure the Streets; 4. DC Volunteer Lawyers Project; 5. DV LEAP; 6. MedStar Washington Hospital Center’s Community Violence Intervention Program; 7. University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law Community-Based Victims Assistance Center; and 8. Whitman-Walker Health

Rights in Systems Enforced Project — RISE Clinics

RISE Rights Enforcement Project

The vision of the Rights in Systems Enforced (RISE) Project is a national network of legal clinics providing legal representation to assist victims in asserting and seeking enforcement of their rights in criminal cases, and, as necessary during and in support of such representation, provide those victims representation on collateral civil legal matters arising from the victimization. RISE positions NCVLI as the national training and technical assistance (TTA) provider to these clinics.

RISE Project Overview

RISE Project Clinics

RISE Project FAQs

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Rights in Systems Enforced (RISE) Project

In 2004, President George W. Bush signed into law the Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA), 18 U.S.C. §3771. The CVRA sets forth eight specific rights for crime victims and details how victims can assert and seek enforcement of those rights during the criminal investigation and prosecution of their offender. CVRA rights attach to federal criminal justice proceedings. States across the country have laws (found in the constitutions and/or statutes) with rights similar to the CVRA. In 2002 OVC first funded a national effort to create victims’ rights enforcement legal clinics, together with a training and technical assistance provider, which worked to ensure that victims were accorded their rights at the state and federal levels.

While these efforts demonstrate great progress, many victims remain unaware of their rights and many others lack support to seek enforcement of their rights. Moreover, many civil legal attorneys who are experienced with providing services to crime victims have not incorporated crime victims’ rights enforcement into their practice. Thus, crime victims who frequently need assistance with both the enforcement of their rights in criminal proceedings and advocacy on civil legal matters that result from the victimization find themselves without full support. In addition, prosecutors, advocates, and other professionals working with victims often lack training and support regarding the meaning and scope of victims’ rights, the significance of those rights to victims, and how to enforce those rights.

To address these issues, the federal Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has funded a number of legal service initiatives over the years that target increasing victims’ rights assertion and enforcement, including the Wraparound Victim Legal Assistance Network and Increasing Legal Access to Rural Victims of Crime Projects. The most recent of these is the Rights In Systems Enforced – RISE Project. RISE is a national effort built upon lessons learned from previous rights enforcement projects. RISE positions NCVLI as the national training & technical assistance (TTA) provider to six competitively selected subgrantee rights enforcement legal clinics.

Over the last several years, OVC has supported various civil legal assistance initiatives to help address myriad civil legal needs of victims in the aftermath of a criminal act. While these efforts have encouraged and, in some instances required, the provision of legal services to aid victims’ rights enforcement in criminal cases, many victims remain unaware of their rights and are without support to assert and seek enforcement of those rights during the criminal investigation and prosecution of their offender. Moreover, many civil legal attorneys who are experienced with providing services to victims have not yet incorporated victims’ rights enforcement into their practice. Notably, crime victims frequently need assistance with both the enforcement of their rights in criminal proceedings and advocacy on the collateral civil matters that result from their victimization. Prosecutors, criminal justice professionals, attorneys, advocates, and other professionals working with victims also need training and support to better understand crime victims’ rights, the significance of those rights, and how to secure enforcement of those rights. The RISE Project is intended to expand on federal, state, local, military and tribal efforts to enforce crime victims’ rights and provide crime victims with access to legal representation to assert and seek enforcement of their rights throughout criminal justice processes.

Building on various DOJ-funded criminal and civil legal assistance initiatives to help address myriad legal needs of victims in the aftermath of a crime, in 2018 the federal Office of Victims of Crime (OVC) funded NCVLI to establish and provide training and technical assistance to six rights enforcement legal clinics to (1) provide victims with crime victims’ rights enforcement and representation, when necessary to further their rights enforcement work, on collateral civil legal matters; (2) raise awareness about crime victims’ rights among prosecutors, criminal justice professionals, attorneys, local bar associations, law students, advocates, and other allied professionals working with victims, and (3) expand the body of professionals who will advocate for the enforcement of crime victims’ rights. In 2020 an additional four additional Clinics were added to the Project.

As part of its training and technical assistance to the clinics, NCVLI offers regular trainings to enhance practitioners’ ability to provide legal representation to assist victims in asserting and seeking enforcement of their rights in criminal cases, and, as necessary during and in support of such representation, provide those victims representation on collateral civil legal matters arising from the victimization. Trainings online and in-person include intensive trainings on the “how to” of litigating victims’ rights to grow the national capacity for this work.

Additional resources can be found in our Victim Law Library.

Interested in becoming part of the national effort to increase rights enforcement? Join NCVLI’s Alliance of Victims’ Rights Attorneys and Advocates – NAVRA.

2020-2021 – RISE Clinics Respond to COVID-19

September 2020 – Creating Change Through Appellate Work

August 2020 – RISE Clinic Profiles

February 2020 – Making Rights Meaningful Through In-Person Technical Assistance: The Fundamentals of Litigating Victims Rights in Ohio

May 2019 – Six Clinics Will Increase Access To No Cost Legal Services

RISE Project Clinics

A core aspect of the RISE Project is NCVLI subgranting to six direct service providers to provide legal representation to assist victims in asserting and seeking enforcement of their rights in criminal cases, and, as necessary during and in support of such representation, provide those victims representation on collateral civil legal matters arising from the victimization. Following a competitive selection process, six were selected.

AZ

Arizona RISE Clinic

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CA

California RISE Clinic

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IL

Chicago RISE Clinic

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FL

Florida RISE clinic

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MI

Michigan RISE Clinic

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MT

Montana RISE Clinic

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OH

Ohio RISE clinic

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SC

South Carolina RISE Clinic

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DC

Washington DC RISE Clinic

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Project FAQs

What is the anticipated duration of the Clinics to be funded under the RISE Project?

Following a competitive national RFP process, in 2019 NCVLI funded six Clinics; these are located in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Washington DC. Building on the success of these Clinics, in 2020 OVC funded four more Clinics in California, Montana, South Carolina and Washington DC. The original six Clinics were funded by this project through November 2021; the four Clinics funded in 2020 are anticipated to be funded by this project through September 2023.

What types of technical assistance and training will be made available?

Programmatic development and management, legal, training and other technical assistance will be provided.

Do the Clinics provide civil legal assistance regarding issues affecting victims of crime, such as divorce, custody and immigration?

The primary purpose of the RISE Project is provision of legal assistance to assert and seek enforcement of rights in a criminal case. If a client has collateral civil legal needs related to their victimization and provision of legal services on those issues is necessary to aid their asserting or seeking enforcement of their rights in a criminal case, such services may be provided.

Is the RISE Project being evaluated?

Yes. Clinics will collect and provide data that will be used to evaluate the efficacy and impact of legal services provided.

Who provides technical assistance and training on rights enforcement?

NCVLI is the dedicated technical assistance and training provider for the life of the RISE Project.

If I am not part of a clinic, am I eligible to receive training and technical assistance?

Yes. While the focus of NCVLI’s efforts under RISE will be working directly with each Clinic, the vision of RISE is to grow the capacity of the nation. If you would like to request training or technical assistance on rights enforcement please submit an online request.

Is there an income threshold for assistance?

No. There is no income threshold and no income eligibility requirements are used.

Do the Clinics charge clients for legal services?

No.

RISE Clinics Respond to COVID-19

We spoke with Victims’ Rights Clinics involved in our Rights in Systems Enforced (RISE) Project about how they are protecting victims’ rights during COVID-19. Here are a few of their stories.

Right to Privacy: Just after a statewide stay-home order was issued, the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic & Sexual Violence’s Survivor Law Clinic (Michigan Clinic) represented two victims as they navigated virtual hearings in the criminal cases against their offenders. The Michigan Clinic worked to ensure that the victims’ privacy was guarded to the greatest extent possible in this new platform. NCVLI and the Michigan Clinic also joined forces to encourage all courts in Michigan to actively consider victims’ rights if they adopt virtual proceedings.

Right to be Present; Right to Dignity, Fairness, and Respect: Despite COVID-19, the defense filed a motion requesting an in-person hearing in a homicide case. The co-victim/survivors, who were the elderly family of the deceased, objected to the in-person hearing due to health and safety concerns. Arizona Voice for Crime Victims (Arizona Clinic) objected based on victims’ rights, including the rights to be treated with fairness, respect, and dignity; to be free from intimidation, harassment or abuse; and to be present at all criminal proceedings. The court denied the request for an in-person hearing, a success for the co-victims.

Right to Reasonable Protection: In a case involving child abuse and murder, the defense sought to modify defendant’s c because of COVID-19. The Arizona Clinic objected on behalf of the victim, citing victims’ rights and noting the jail’s protocols to handle the virus

In a case involving sexual assault of a minor, the Defendant filed a Motion to Modify Conditions of Release arguing he should be released due to COVID-19. AVCV filed an objection on behalf of the victim opposing his release, along with the State filing a response, and attended an oral argument. The Court denied the Defendant’s Motion to Modify and he remained in custody.

This project is supported by Grant Nos. 2018-V3-GX-K018 and 2020-V3-GX-K022, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Project are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.