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Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that he was informed by the U.S.
Department of Justice that the American Samoa Criminal Justice Planning
Agency has been awarded a $258,000 grant from the Crime Victim Assistance
Fund. The Fund is administered by the DOJ’s Office for Victims of
Crime (OVC) with funds provided for under the Victims of Crime Act established
by Congress.
Faleomavaega said, “I am very pleased to know that American Samoa
continues to benefit from this federal program. The grant should
assist with the growing crime situation in our territory.”
Under the law, the territories of the Northern Mariana Islands,
Guam, and American Samoa receive a base amount of $200,000 each with additional
funds being distributed based on population. This year, American
Samoa received an increase of $22,000 over what it got in 1999. Furthermore,
the conditions on the Fund require States and Territories to give priority
to programs serving victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child
abuse.
The Fund is supported, not by tax dollars, but by fines, penalty
assessments, and bond forfeitures collected from convicted Federal offenders.
OVC distributes more than 90 percent of the Fund's deposits directly to
States to support compensation and assistance services for victims and
survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, drunk driving,
homicide, and other crimes.
“I congratulate Mr. Alaalamua Filoiali’i and the staff of the American
Samoa Criminal Justice Planning Agency for the excellent job they are doing
to serve our people,” Faleomavaega added.
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![[106th Congress]](/faleomavaega/press/press_2000/images/106.jpg)
