Missouri gets bigger federal grant to assist crime victims

An annual federal grant recently awarded to Missouri that assists the state's crime victims will be four times larger than last year's total, according to a press release from Gov. Jay Nixon's office.

The grant comes to the Missouri Department of Public Safety through the federal Victim of Crime Act (VOCA). The $36.7 million will go toward funding domestic violence shelters, crime victim advocates and other programs specializing in crime victims' physical and emotional needs. Last year, Missouri received $8.7 million.

The Department of Public Safety's Crime Services Unit will administer the grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs. The fund can be spent until Sept. 30, 2018. Other states will also receive funding increases.

The VOCA grant helped 54,990 Missouri crime victims in fiscal year 2015 with crisis counseling, group treatment, in-person and telephone referral, criminal justice support and advocacy, emergency financial assistance and assistance in filing compensation claims.