{"identifier":"/us/usc/t6/s258","title":6,"num":"\u00a7\u202f258.","heading":"Homeland Security Investigations Victim Assistance Program","text":"\u00a7\u202f258.\nHomeland Security Investigations Victim Assistance Program\n(a)\nDefinitions\nIn this section:\n(1)\nForensic interview specialist\nThe term \u201cforensic interview specialist\u201d is an interview professional who has specialized experience and training in conducting trauma-informed forensic interviews with victims of crime.\n(2)\nVictim\nThe term \u201cvictim\u201d has the meaning given such term in\nsection 20141(e)(2) of title 34\n(3)\nVictim assistance specialist\nThe term \u201cvictim assistance specialist\u201d is a victim assistance professional who\u2014\n(A) has experience working with victims of crime in a service capacity;\n(B) has been trained on the exposure of various forms of trauma and other stressors experienced in working with victims; and\n(C) may have experience working with local government and community-based organizations, including victim advocacy centers, child advocacy centers, child welfare agencies, faith-based organizations, and other social service programs.\n(b)\nIn general\nThere is established, in Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Victim Assistance Program.\n(c)\nFunctions\nThe Victim Assistance Program shall\u2014\n(1) provide oversight, guidance, training, travel, equipment, and coordination to Homeland Security Investigations victim assistance personnel throughout the United States;\n(2) recruit not fewer than\u2014\n(A) 1 forensic interview specialist and 1 victim assistance specialist for each Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge office;\n(B) 1 victim assistance specialist for\u2014\n(i) every Homeland Security Investigations office participating in a human trafficking task force; and\n(ii) every Homeland Security Investigations office participating in a child sexual exploitation task force;\n(3) support Homeland Security Investigations regional attache\u0301 offices, to the extent necessary;\n(4) provide training regarding victims\u2019 rights, victim-related policies, roles of forensic interviewers and victim assistance specialists, and an approach that is\u2014\n(A) victim-centered;\n(B) trauma-informed; and\n(C) linguistically appropriate, to the extent feasible; and\n(5) purchase emergency items that are needed to assist identified victims in Homeland Security Investigations criminal investigations, including food, clothing, hygiene products, transportation, and temporary shelter that is not otherwise provided by a nongovernmental organization.","url":"https://projectusc.org/usc/t6/s258.html","content":[{"t":"sec","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258","children":[{"t":"num","text":"\u00a7\u202f258."},{"t":"heading","text":"Homeland Security Investigations Victim Assistance Program"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/a","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(a)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Definitions"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"In this section:"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/a/1","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(1)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Forensic interview specialist"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"The term \u201cforensic interview specialist\u201d is an interview professional who has specialized experience and training in conducting trauma-informed forensic interviews with victims of crime.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/a/2","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(2)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Victim"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"The term \u201cvictim\u201d has the meaning given such term in ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 20141(e)(2) of title 34","href":"/us/usc/t34/s20141/e/2","tail":"."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/a/3","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(3)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Victim assistance specialist"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"The term \u201cvictim assistance specialist\u201d is a victim assistance professional who\u2014"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/a/3/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"content","text":" has experience working with victims of crime in a service capacity;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/a/3/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"content","text":" has been trained on the exposure of various forms of trauma and other stressors experienced in working with victims; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/a/3/C","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(C)"},{"t":"content","text":" may have experience working with local government and community-based organizations, including victim advocacy centers, child advocacy centers, child welfare agencies, faith-based organizations, and other social service programs.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/b","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(b)"},{"t":"heading","text":"In general"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"There is established, in Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Victim Assistance Program.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/c","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(c)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Functions"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"The Victim Assistance Program shall\u2014"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/c/1","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(1)"},{"t":"content","text":" provide oversight, guidance, training, travel, equipment, and coordination to Homeland Security Investigations victim assistance personnel throughout the United States;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/c/2","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(2)"},{"t":"chapeau","text":" recruit not fewer than\u2014"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/c/2/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"content","text":" 1 forensic interview specialist and 1 victim assistance specialist for each Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge office;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/c/2/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"chapeau","text":" 1 victim assistance specialist for\u2014"},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/c/2/B/i","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(i)"},{"t":"content","text":" every Homeland Security Investigations office participating in a human trafficking task force; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/c/2/B/ii","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(ii)"},{"t":"content","text":" every Homeland Security Investigations office participating in a child sexual exploitation task force;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/c/3","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(3)"},{"t":"content","text":" support Homeland Security Investigations regional attache\u0301 offices, to the extent necessary;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/c/4","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(4)"},{"t":"chapeau","text":" provide training regarding victims\u2019 rights, victim-related policies, roles of forensic interviewers and victim assistance specialists, and an approach that is\u2014"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/c/4/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"content","text":" victim-centered;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/c/4/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"content","text":" trauma-informed; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/c/4/C","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(C)"},{"t":"content","text":" linguistically appropriate, to the extent feasible; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t6/s258/c/5","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(5)"},{"t":"content","text":" purchase emergency items that are needed to assist identified victims in Homeland Security Investigations criminal investigations, including food, clothing, hygiene products, transportation, and temporary shelter that is not otherwise provided by a nongovernmental organization.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"text","text":"\n"},{"t":"text","text":"\n"}]}]}