Frequently Asked Questions

The Community Relations Service (CRS) is the U.S. Department of Justice's "peacemaker" and responds to communities experiencing conflict and violence to help restore peaceful relations.

CRS is the only federal agency dedicated to assisting state and local units of government, private and public organizations, and community groups with preventing community incidents and in restoring stability and harmony.

CRS facilitates the development of viable, mutual understandings and agreements as alternatives to coercion, violence, or litigation. It assists communities through facilitated dialogue, mediation, training, and consultation to overcome differences and build the skills needed to prevent future disputes.

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number and is used to identify a business entity.

If you are experiencing problems with a State Victim Notification Everyday (VINE) system, please contact the state organization responsible for the system. To locate the appropriate contact, visit the VINELink site and select your state from the map.

Individuals typically designated as mandatory reporters of child abuse, including child sexual abuse and exploitation, have frequent contact with children and may include health care workers, school personnel, child care providers, social workers, law enforcement officers, and mental health professionals.

Information about mandatory reporters is available on the State Statutes section of the Child Welfare Information Gateway website. You may also consult with your state or Tribal child welfare agency.

Data about pedestrians killed or injured in crashes involving alcohol can be found in the annual Traffic Safety Facts publications on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's National Center for Statistics and Analysis site.

Further information drunk driving is available on the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) website.

For statistics on violence in the workplace, access the Violence in the Workplace publication series from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. See the Workplace Violence section of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health website for additional information.

Victim compensation eligibility is determined by each state victim compensation program.

For additional information, visit the Victim Compensation section of our website.

The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC) is not accepting applications for the Consultant Network at this time. Please contact the OVC TTAC Consultant Management Team by phone at 866-682-8822 (TTY: 866-682-8880) or email at [email protected] if you have further questions.

The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) specifically requires compensation to crime victims and survivors of criminal violence for certain expenses resulting from physical injury from a compensable crime as defined by the state.

VOCA places priority on violent crime, but it does not prohibit coverage of nonviolent crimes. States may choose to broaden the range of compensable crimes to include those involving threats of injury or economic crime where victims are traumatized but not physically injured. Please keep in mind that eligibility requirements are left up to the state.

Please contact your state victim compensation program to learn about eligibility requirements. 

The U.S. Department of State's Children's Passport Issuance Alert Program works to prevent international parental child abduction. The program allows parents to register their U.S. citizen children under the age of 18. If a passport application is submitted for that registered child, the U.S. Department of State will contact and alert the parent(s).

To learn more and to register a child, visit the Children's Passport Issuance Alert Program website.