COVA supports victims’ and survivors’ voices by raising awareness and understanding to Colorado lawmakers of victims’ needs, concerns, and barriers to accessing justice, safety, and healing. Victims and survivors of crime are an incredibly diverse group with needs that go beyond the criminal justice system. COVA’s policy decisions are driven by the needs of survivors and victim service agencies in Colorado. We propose, analyze, and take positions on policies at the intersection of victimization, justice systems, and supportive healing through victim services and victims’ access to resources.
COVA’s policy goal is to build equity within the criminal justice system for victims and survivors of crime by expanding victim’s rights, developing sustainable victim service funding, and supporting healing for crime victims and survivors.
COVA successfully led and supported the following policies:
If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions contact Courtney.
In 2024, COVA tracked 51 policies and took positions on 26, and of the 20 support positions all but two passed out of the legislature and were signed by the Governor. Of the four opposition positions, all were indefinitely postponed. In 2023, COVA tracked 56 policies and took positions on 12. Of the 10 bills COVA supported all were signed by the Governor and successfully indefinitely postponed one policy COVA opposed. Notable policies passed since 2020 are updating the Victim’s Right Act and Victim’s Compensation to create greater opportunities for survivors to be heard and have financial needs met after victimization; lobbying the Joint Budget Committee to allocate American Rescue Plan and General Fund dollars to victim services as Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding continues to decrease; and leading a ballot measure initiative to create sustainable victim service funding. In alignment with Rose Community Foundation, COVA supports the Freedom to Marry ballot measure and recognizes the intersection of marginalized identities increases the risk of victimization.
COVA’s capacity to take positions, advocate on behalf of, and bring survivors to the conversation has continuously increased. The policy program plans to build a network of survivors to advise and advocate for policy to better the lives of victims and survivors of crime in Colorado.
The most pressing need is for sustainable, consistent, and flexible funding available for victim service agencies and direct financial assistance available for victims and survivors. As federal funding continues to decrease, Colorado victim services are struggling to meet the needs of victims, survivors, maintaining staff salaries, and preserving current programming. Victim services across Colorado have reported increases in both services requested and the complexity and lethality of the cases. COVA is working with other statewide victim-focused coalitions to bring forth a ballot measure for sustainable funding. Agencies across Colorado are on the cusp of closing their doors or cutting programming, leaving survivors without resources in their community.
