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County prosecutors and victim advocates report rising special‑victims caseloads and caution on shrinking VOCA funds
Summary
At the June 9 meeting deputies reported rising special‑victims caseloads and resource strains: the Children’s Justice Center’s monthly interviews rose from ~20 to 27, special‑victims cases increased to 643 over the latest 12‑month period (above a three‑year average of 410), and staff warned federal VOCA funding may decline.
Deputy County Attorney Andrew Crane provided an update on Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) funding and staffing; Victim Advocate Supervisor Sara Owen described the office’s VOCA/UVSP‑funded personnel and reported serving 654 victims in Q2 (Oct–Dec 2025) and 688 in Q3 (Jan–Mar 2026). Owen said those counts were tracked under federal guidelines and that actual needs are, in her view, higher.
Scott Bodily, Children’s Justice Center Coordinator, reported the center’s interview volume rose from an average of 20 per month in 2025 to 27 per month in 2026 and that total individuals served climbed from 190 to 243 per month following a January 2026 team training. County Attorney Dane Murray said special‑victims prosecutions rose to 643 from June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026—well above the prior three‑year average of 410—and that the Domestic Violence Response Team is implementing a evidence‑based high‑risk team framework to improve response and lethality assessment.
Speakers warned of potential funding reductions from shrinking federal VOCA allocations and emphasized the sustained need for staffing and victim services across the county.
