Bill Overview
Title: RESPONSE Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Office on Violence Against Women of the Department of Justice to establish a pilot program under which community-based organizations or victim service providers may dispatch victim advocates to crime scenes involving domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking.
Sponsors: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Target Audience
Population: People who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking
Estimated Size: 50000000
- The bill focuses on victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking.
- It aims to provide immediate support and services to these victims at crime scenes.
- The implementation involves community-based organizations and victim service providers.
- The target population broadly includes individuals experiencing these types of violence, worldwide.
- Prevalence of such violence varies by country, but globally, it's a significant issue.
Reasoning
- The policy is directed towards a significant population segment affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, and other related crimes.
- The $500 million budget in year 1 constraints the program's scope, focusing on pilot areas rather than nationwide.
- 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the US face such violence, suggesting the need for targeted, efficient deployment of resources.
- Policy success depends on collaboration with local victim service providers, whose effectiveness varies across regions.
- The potential impact ranges from high for victims in pilot areas to low or none in unaffected areas.
Simulated Interviews
Teacher (Chicago, IL)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think this policy will help tremendously, especially for immediate support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Farmer (Rural Nebraska)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any response that brings services to my doorstep would be a blessing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Software Engineer (New York, NY)
Age: 27 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could have saved my sister from prolonged abuse.
- I support any policy that takes action on site immediately.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Retired Police Officer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This will make my former colleagues' jobs easier.
- Having advocates on-site is a game changer for procedural justice.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Social Worker (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We need more like this—services on scene can escalate support considerably.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Victim Advocate (Boston, MA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Direct dispatch is what we've been asking for. It's about time.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Artist (Miami, FL)
Age: 34 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Knowing there is immediate support would definitely help people like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
College Student (Austin, TX)
Age: 21 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This kind of approach encourages us to report more often, loops in needed help instantly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Bartender (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- On-site help can make all the difference to prevent another cycle of abuse.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Tech Entrepreneur (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 20/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Good initiative, but needs to be expanded, the scope feels limited.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $600000000)
Year 2: $450000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $550000000)
Year 3: $450000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $550000000)
Year 5: $450000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $550000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The effective deployment of victim advocates can have extensive social and economic benefits.
- Funding and sustained investment in community-based organizations are critical for the program's success.
- Impact measurement and evaluation will need to be robust to demonstrate value.