Rep. Demings' VICTIM Act Passes Committee

Press Release

Today, Rep. Val Demings (FL-10) successfully passed her legislation, the VICTIM Act, through the House Judiciary Committee. The Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods (VICTIM) Act was cosponsored by Reps. Dwight Evans, Tom O'Halleran, Robin Kelly, Cindy Axne, and Lucy McBath, and would establish a Department of Justice grant program to hire, train, and retain detectives and victim services personnel to investigate shootings and support victims and their families.

Yesterday, a Senate companion to the legislation was introduced by Senator Cory Booker (NJ) and Senator Dick Durbin (IL). Rep. Demings is a former law enforcement officer and the first female Chief of Police of Orlando, Florida.

Said Rep. Demings, "Real life is quite different from what you may see on television. I saw as a detective, detective sergeant, and chief of police that gun crimes are oftentimes difficult to investigate and solve. Simply put, many agencies lack the resources they need to bring justice to these cases and closure for families. Half of gun murders in the United States go unsolved, and victims are often left with no justice and little support. This legislation would inject critical new funding into America's law enforcement agencies to hire and train detectives and specialists specifically committed to investigate unsolved crimes, comfort victims, and bring the guilty to justice.

"I vividly recall being on the scenes of young people, dead as a result of gun violence, knowing that their families would soon receive devastating news. Today, the murder rate is rising, and more and more cases go unsolved. Unsolved gun crimes are unacceptable for the victims and their families, and leaving violent criminals on the streets is unacceptable for the communities we are trying to protect. We can do better, and this legislation will give our law enforcement agencies the resources they need to track down violent criminals and keep families safe."

Said Rep. Dwight Evans (PA-03), "Helping our state and local police solve more fatal and non-fatal shooting cases would be a huge win for public safety in Philadelphia and across the country -- district attorneys can't bring cases that don't reach them, so this would help make our neighborhoods safer. As someone who has pushed for help for victims of gun violence, I'm also very pleased that this bill would provide victims and family members with mental health resources and assistance with shelter, wage, and relocation costs. I'm proud to co-lead this much-needed legislation with Rep. Demings -- her long experience in law enforcement has been so vital in Congress."

Said Rep. Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01), "As a young officer working in Chicago, I had to knock on the doors of too many mothers and tell them their child had been lost to an act of senseless violence. Through targeted funding increases for our hardworking local and tribal police departments, this bill will help to hire, train, and keep good detectives and victim services workers to better provide the needed resources to catch criminals. In short, our legislation will help bring closure to families and justice to courtrooms."

Said Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02), "Gun violence and homicide rates are on the rise, but the percentage of cases solved by law enforcement agencies is falling. Communities of color are disproportionately represented in cases that go unsolved, which is unjust and diminishes trust between communities of color and the police. We must ensure that law enforcement agencies have the resources they need to solve crimes and bring justice to victims and their families. Additionally, we need to do more to support victims and their families as they rebuild their lives after being impacted by gun violence. The VICTIM Act will do just that by providing victims and family members with mental health resources and assistance with shelter, lost wages and relocation costs. I am proud to be introducing this legislation with Rep. Demings, a former police chief, to help law enforcement solve crimes and improve outcomes for victims."

Said Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03), "Last year, we saw an increase in homicides and gun-related crime all across the U.S. -- including in Iowa. In fact, Iowa saw an 80% jump in homicides in 2020 -- a statistic that should frankly stop any Iowan in their tracks. I know our police departments are working around the clock to solve these crimes, and it's critical that they have the resources they need to keep our communities safe and support the families affected. Our legislation, the VICTIM Act, would directly help our law enforcement improve public safety while also helping victims and their families."

Said Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06), "We must ensure our law enforcement have the tools they need to solve violent crime. I am proud to join Rep. Demings to introduce a bill that will help hire detectives, train personnel, and address the needs of victims and family members as we continue our work to keep communities safe."

Said Greg Newburn, Director of Criminal Justice for the Niskanen Center, "The VICTIM Act is an example of criminal justice reform that should appeal to people all over the political spectrum. The VICTIM Act will help law enforcement deliver justice, and help victims rebuild their lives after tragedy. We are excited to see a common-sense response to the entrenched violence that threatens so many American communities. The VICTIM Act is a smart and reasonable solution to this difficult problem, and will help to make our communities more safe through important investments in law enforcement, and we're proud to work with Rep. Demings on this important investment in safety."

Said Jim Burch, President of the National Police Foundation, "This bill provides crucial support for law enforcement efforts to provide justice for victims and solve unclosed cases. Rep. Demings' legislation is supported by science and best practice. The National Police Foundation applauds Congresswoman Demings' leadership and support for evidence-based best practices that will keep the public safe and reduce crime."

Said Frederick L. Thomas, National President of The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, "The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) applauds the continued efforts of Congresswoman Val Demings in supporting and strengthening the law enforcement profession. It is our opinion that this legislation will help increase the clearance rates of cases throughout the nation."

Said Chief Jeri Williams, President of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, "Nearly every major city in America is experiencing a rise in violent crime. The VICTIM Act will help law enforcement agencies address staffing challenges, enhance investigative and evidence processing capabilities and technology, and provide services to victims and their families. The MCCA is proud to support this bill and thanks Rep. Demings for her continued leadership and support for our brave law enforcement officers."

Said Bill Johnson, Executive Director of the National Association of Police Organizations, "Our nation's cities and communities are experiencing a historic rise in violent crime. Murders and non-fatal shootings are going unresolved at higher rates as law enforcement agencies do not have the officers and resources to dedicate to improving clearance rates for these horrendous crimes. The VICTIM Act will help address this issue by supplying much needed grant funding to agencies to fill, replenish, and train their detective and homicide personnel. Through this legislation, law enforcement will be able to focus on solving these violent crimes that have such a detrimental impact on our communities and improve the services that they render to victims. We support the VICTIM Act and thank Congresswoman Demings for her leadership on this issue."

Said Thomas Abt, Chair of its Violent Crime Working Group for the Council on Criminal Justice, "FBI statistics show that in 2020, violent crime clearance rates, particularly for fatal and nonfatal shootings, fell to historic lows. The human, social, and economic toll of these unsolved crimes is devastating. We must increase clearance rates to build public trust in law enforcement and bring justice to families and communities."

Background

Rep. Demings has led on police issues in Congress, rejecting "defunding the police" and leading legislation to fund departments, reduce violent crime, and implement common-sense reforms to increase transparency, accountability, and justice.

Rep. Demings is leading the Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods (VICTIM) Act, legislation to establish a Department of Justice grant program to hire, train, and retain detectives and victim services personnel to investigate shootings and support victims. That legislation is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, National Police Foundation, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, Major Cities Chiefs Association, National Association of Police Organizations, and Council on Criminal Justice.

In 2020, the United States saw the biggest rise in murder since the start of national record-keeping in 1960. 21,570 people were murdered in the United States in 2020--the most since 1995--a 29.4% increase over 2019. Additionally, the FBI estimates that 77% of all murders in the United States in 2020 were via firearms. That is the highest share on record and the most of any year on record except 1993. At the same time that the murder rate rose, the clearance rate for murders fell significantly, from 61.4% in 2019, to 54.4% in 2020. In cities with a population above 250,000, the rate was even more dramatic, falling from 57.6% in 2019 to 47.3% in 2020.

The VICTIM Act would establish a grant program at the Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide resources to State, Tribal, and local law enforcement agencies to assist them improve their clearance rates for homicides and non-fatal shootings. Specifically, the grants provided by the VICTIM Act would be used to:

* hire and retain detectives to investigate homicide and non-fatal shootings;
* acquire resources for processing evidence, including the hiring of additional personnel;
* hire personnel trained to analyze criminal intelligence and crime trends;
* train detectives and evidence processing personnel in effective procedures and techniques; and
* ensure victim services are sufficiently staffed, funded, and trained.

Recipients of the grants would be required to report to the DOJ information regarding how the money was spent and how it affected clearance rates for homicides and non-fatal shootings. The National Institute of Justice will periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the policies and procedures implemented by the grantees to improve clearance rates and report to Congress on its conclusions.

Rep. Demings cosponsored the Invest to Protect Act of 2022, which would establish new federal grants to local police departments with fewer than 200 officers.

Rep. Demings co-led the bipartisan Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act, which was passed into law and is now supporting an active officer mental health program.

Rep. Demings led on The Law Enforcement Protection Act to protect law enforcement officers from concealable armor-piercing weapons, and the Protecting Our Communities Act, to protect law enforcement officers and the public from high-powered, rapid-firing and untraceable weapons.

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