For Immediate Release: Thursday, July 1, 2021 Contact on behalf of Alliance for Safety and Justice: jmartinez@safeandjust.org CRIME SURVIVORS PRAISE PASSAGE OF OHIO STATE BUDGET, HISTORIC INVESTMENT IN REHABILITATION AND VICTIM SUPPORT TO END CYCLES OF CRIME Final Two-Year State Budget Includes $2.5M for Victim Compensation and $60M for Alternatives to Prison Program COLUMBUS – In a victory for crime survivors across Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine approved the two-year state operating budget, which included a historic investment in programs that aim to end cycles of crime and make communities safer. The final budget, which passed with bipartisan support, includes $2.5 million in fiscal year 2022 for the state's victim compensation program and over $60 million over two years for Targeted Community Alternatives to Prison (TCAP) – a groundbreaking program that provides Ohioans with substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation instead of incarceration. Over the past legislative session, the Alliance for Safety and Justice, alongside its flagship Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice – a national network of over 42,000 crime survivors – led the way for the funding of these alternative approaches to public safety, and have advocated for an expansion of TCAP. This latest state budget includes an additional $14 million allocated towards the program and the inclusion of 4th degree felonies, which provides a path for further expansion in the future. Ultimately, the expansion of TCAP will ensure people get the treatment they need, keep them out of prison, and make Ohio safer. “With Ohio reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting impact on public safety, this legislative session was especially challenging. However, together with crime survivors across the state, we've advocated for and achieved a groundbreaking investment in approaches that will end cycles of crime and make our communities safer. We thank Speaker Cupp, Representative Seitz, and Senator Manning for championing our cause and making this victory possible,” said Shakyra Diaz, Chief of Staff at the Alliance for Safety and Justice. “This budget's funding for TCAP and victim compensation will make sure that communities have the tools needed to heal, end cycles of crime, and address trauma in places left behind by the current system. This achievement was made possible thanks to the legislative leaders who stood with crime survivors every step of the way. Together, we are working to make Ohio safer for all,” said Candace S. Williams, Ohio State Director for the Alliance for Safety and Justice. “The approval of this latest state budget is a victory for survivors like me and for all those who want safer communities in Ohio,” said India Brown, member of the Ohio chapter of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice. “Today, our state leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to addressing trauma and making sure that we end cycles of crime. True safety will only be achieved once we address the root causes of crime, and ensure that all victims feel supported. There is still more work to be done, but today is a great step in the right direction as we work towards a safer Ohio.” ABOUT THE ALLIANCE FOR SAFETY AND JUSTICE The Alliance for Safety and Justice is a national organization that aims to win new safety priorities in states across the country. It partners with leaders to advance state reform through networking, coalition building, research, education, and advocacy. It also brings together diverse crime survivors to advance policies that help communities most harmed by crime and violence, as part of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice – its national network of over 42,000 crime survivors, with thousands of members in Ohio. For more information, visit https://allianceforsafetyandjustice.org.