OVC FY 2022 Bridging Inequities - Legal Services and Victims' Rights Enforcement for Underserved Communities

OJP is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens community safety and protects the public from crime and evolving threats and builds trust between law enforcement and the community. In FY 2022, OVC will make applications a priority that document how the proposed project will address the needs of underserved victims, thereby improving access to justice. This program supports activities related to expanding access to legal assistance for victims of crime in underserved communities. Per Executive Order 13985, the term "underserved community" refers to a population sharing a particular characteristic, as well as a geographic community, that has been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life or whose members have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by inequality. Such communities include, among others, Black people, Hispanic and Latino/a/e people, Native American and other Indigenous peoples of North America (including Alaska Natives, Eskimos, and Aleuts), Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.This program also aligns with the May 18, 2021, Presidential Memorandum calling on federal agencies to expand access to legal counsel in both civil and criminal matters to ensure that people of color, individuals with low incomes, and other vulnerable populations have better access to legal services.