Gov. Nikki Haley, State Leaders, Crime Victims’ Advocates announce The Crime Victim Services Of South Carolina
November 3, 2016
Governor Nikki Haley, Attorney General Alan Wilson and victims advocates today announced the formation of the Crime Victim Services of South Carolina.
In an effort to improve services for crime victims, legislation will be proposed to consolidate, co-locate, and better coordinate multiple state agencies to the Attorney General’s Office. The new “Crime Victim Services” will include the State Office of Victim Assistance and the Crime Victim’s Ombudsman, currently at the Department of Administration, and the Division of Victim Assistance Grants, currently at the Department of Public Safety. Approximately 55 employees will be affected with no fiscal impact to the state.
“We are giving crime victim services a home in South Carolina for the first time in our state’s history,” said Gov. Haley during an event held at Columbia’s Crime Victims Memorial Gardens that was attended by members of the General Assembly and other stakeholders. “Combining these agencies and streamlining their services is the right thing to do. Citizens deserve good government, victims deserve justice, and this is one more step forward to improve how we work for the people. We are grateful for victims’ advocates who have championed this reform and do hero’s work every day, and we thank the attorney general for leading this effort and for continuing to have the backs of crime victims.”
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With a targeted effective date of July 1, 2017, the governor will issue Executive Order 2016-43, which establishes a Crime Victim Services Transition Team to develop a plan for transitioning the administration of agencies and employees. A plan for addressing human resources, finance, information technology, and other operational matters must be submitted to the governor no later than January 10, 2017, the first day of the General Assembly’s 2017 Session. Members of the Transition Team will be comprised of representatives from the Attorney General’s Office, Department of Administration, and the Department of Public Safety.
“This the most significant reform for crime victims since 1998 when we passed the Victims’ Bill of Rights was added to the State Constitution,” said Attorney General Alan Wilson. “With this legislation, victims across the state will have a much needed unified voice. These South Carolinians deserve our best, and this proposal will enable us to better serve their needs with improved efficiency.”
The proposal to centralize crime victims services stems from the ongoing work of the Domestic Violence Task Force (Recommendation 42) as well as various reports, including the Department of Administration OEPP Restructuring Report in 2015 and three Legislative Audit Council Reports from 1999, 2007, and 2009.
When the proposal is passed into law, the consolidation will be the most significant reform for crime victims services since the Victims’ Bill of Rights was added to the State Constitution in 1998.
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