TOLEDO, Ohio — Hundreds of the nation's chief prosecutors from across the political spectrum have come together to agree on one cause: supporting the victims of crimes.
These 700 prosecutors have written and signed a letter calling on congress to replenish funding for victim services, which they said is dwindling.
Victims of crimes often have to figure out how to understand the justice system on their own. Without resources and support, victim advocates said the process can cause additional suffering to the victim when faced with the legal system.
That's why 700 prosecutors across the country have stepped up to advocate for the advocates, one of whom is Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates.
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Bates said the resources and advocates for victims of crimes are enshrined in state constitutions. She said the funding for these services need to be prioritized by Congress.
"Marcy's Law requires that we notify victims of every stage in the prosecution, from the very beginning, from the arrest, the initial appearance, every court stage sentencing. All of that that's a part of what the advocates do," Bates said.
Bates said in 2015 Lucas County was awarded more than 319,000 for victim advocacy services. In 2024, that funding has declined to $140,000, Bates said.
"We are committed regardless of the decline," she said. "But the truth is, without the funding, victims are going to suffer because we don't have the ability to do what the finances don't give."
Bates said President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget request allocated $1.2 billion for victim service programs, compared to $1.9 billion approved in the 2023 fiscal year by Congress. This would be a reduction in more than 40% of the funding.
"The language, the process, the rights that victims have - a lot of that is not known," said Vera Sanders, Director of Victim Services for the Lucas County Prosecutor's Office.
Sanders has been a victims advocate for over 28 years. Within the last eight years, she said the funding has dramatically declined. After standing beside hundreds of victims who look to her in the court room, she said she knows any reduction will impact the services they provide.
Sanders said resources provided to victims is crucial to help them navigate in the wake of a crime.
"Just to help guide you to be that compassionate person, to be your ears, to be your eyes, to be whatever it is you may need to get through the tragedy and the process," Sanders said.
Sanders said the goal should be to expand and place victim services in schools and spread throughout the community. To her, funding is a crucial step in making this happen.
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