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Davis County victim services warn shrinking VOCA grant strains support for crime victims
Summary
Victim Services Supervisor Karen Gomez told commissioners the office aided 2,406 victims in 2024–25 and that VOCA funding dropped from roughly $82,000/year to about $52,000/year for 2025–27, forcing elimination of some services and complicating access to counseling and housing assistance for victims.
Karen Gomez, Victim Services Supervisor in the Davis County Attorney’s Office, reported to the Board on March 10 that her five‑person team relies heavily on the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant and that funding declines are forcing reductions in services.
Gomez said the office assisted 2,406 victims in the 2024–25 fiscal year across 2,434 offenses, including 313 domestic violence cases, and listed daily duties such as victim notifications, restitution assistance and protective orders. She warned that VOCA funding decreased from roughly $82,000 per year in prior cycles to approximately $52,469 per year in the 2025–27 award (total award $104,927.28), reducing capacity for programs that helped with rent and deposits and increasing pressure on staff to find outside resources for victims.
Gomez and Christina Perry‑Rock explained that administrative and programmatic effects include fewer transportation and housing assistance options and difficulty locating providers willing to take low reimbursement rates for therapy; they noted the underlying revenue stream for VOCA funds comes from fines and penalties assessed to convicted federal offenders, not tax dollars, and that changes in judicial fee waivers have reduced available compensation funds.
Gomez said the office still proactively reaches out to victims and provides translation and referral services but expressed concern about sustaining that level of service as the County grows. Commissioners praised the Victim Services team for their work and acknowledged the funding pressure described.
