HARRISBURG, Pa. -- The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) today approved a grant of $810,058 to support crime victim services training coordinated by the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Institute.

"Concern for victims of crime is at the core of our criminal-justice system, and victims deserve to receive the best quality of service," said PCCD chairman Jim Eisenhower. "We are pleased to partner with the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Institute, which has coordinated the victim-services training project since ."

The grant will support training and technical assistance to victim/witness staff in district attorneys' offices and related victim-services agencies across the commonwealth. The Pennsylvania District Attorneys Institute plans to conduct at least eight major training events during , including separate conferences focusing on the needs of rural crime victims and victims of domestic violence. Details of these trainings will be made available on PCCD's Web site at www.pccd.state.pa.us.

The grant also will support assessments of local victim-service programs and onsite training involving the state Victims Compensation Assistance Program (V-CAP), which provides financial help to victims of crime. The V-CAP program is administered by PCCD.

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency approved the grant at its quarterly meeting. During the -03 fiscal year, the Commission distributed more than $140 million in state and federal funding to programs that are proven to prevent crime and strengthen communities. PCCD also provides essential support services to law enforcement agencies and offers financial assistance to victims of crime.

Source: Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency