# Office for Victims of Crime *United States Department of Justice office under the Office of Justice Programs* The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is a component of the [[United States Department of Justice]], housed within the department's Office of Justice Programs.[^1] It was established in 1988 through an amendment to the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984.[^1] The office's mission, as given in its Wikipedia article, is to aid crime victims and to promote justice for them.[^1] The sources cited here do not document the office's grant awards, dollar totals, or recipient counts. The office's own website lists its grant programs.[^2] ## Leadership President Donald Trump named Jessica E. Hart as Director. She took the oath of office on March 31, 2020, and departed on January 20, 2021.[^1] Katherine Darke Schmitt headed the office as Acting Director from January to July 2021.[^1] President Joe Biden then appointed Kristina Rose, who took the oath as Director on July 12, 2021. The Wikipedia revision retrieved on October 26, 2026 still lists her as the current Director.[^1] Before joining OVC, Rose had been acting director and deputy director of the [[National Institute of Justice]], and chief of staff at the [[Office on Violence Against Women]].[^1] ## Programs OVC sponsors Crime Victims' Rights Week, an annual observance that promotes the rights of victims and the services available to them.[^1] The office publishes a listing of its grant programs on its official website.[^2] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Office for Victims of Crime* (revision 1376077133, retrieved 2026-10-26) — the office's placement within the Office of Justice Programs, its 1988 creation by amendment to VOCA, its stated mission, its directors and acting director, and Crime Victims' Rights Week. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_for_Victims_of_Crime [^2]: Office for Victims of Crime, *Grant Programs* (undated) — the office's official listing of its grant programs. https://ovc.ojp.gov/