Statement From Arnold Ventures’ Kevin Ring on the Introduction of the VICTIM Act

WASHINGTON D.C. (Feb. 8, 2024)– Following the introduction of the Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods (VICTIM) Act of 2024, Kevin Ring, vice president of criminal justice advocacy at Arnold Ventures, issued the following statement: 

“Violent crime has a devastating effect on people, families, and whole communities that can last generations. Yet more than half of reported violent crimes go unsolved every year. What’s worse, the number of unsolved crimes has risen dramatically since 2019. These increases have affected large cities, suburbs, and rural areas alike. 

“The bipartisan VICTIM Act could help address this growing problem by providing funding for local law enforcement agencies to hire violent crime investigators, improve community relationships, upgrade technology, provide victim services, and invest in evidence collection and analysis, among other eligible uses. It also includes provisions to support data collection and safeguard civil rights and liberties. We hope that this evidence-based proposal will begin to increase the solve rate for violent crimes, improve public safety, and repair victim and community trust in the justice system. 

“Achieving justice for crime victims and holding dangerous perpetrators accountable should be a leading bipartisan priority. We are proud to support this smart, evidence-based public safety legislation alongside the Niskanen Center, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Major Counties Sheriffs of America, the Fraternal Order of Police, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies.”

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Arnold Ventures is a philanthropy that supports research to understand the root causes of America’s most persistent and pressing problems, as well as evidence-based solutions to address them. By focusing on systemic change, AV is working to improve the lives of American families, strengthen their communities, and promote their economic opportunity. Since Laura and John Arnold launched their foundation in 2008, the philanthropy has expanded, and Arnold Ventures’ focus areas include education, criminal justice, health, infrastructure, and public finance, advocating for bipartisan policy reforms that will lead to lasting, scalable change. As signatories of the Giving Pledge, the Arnolds have committed to giving away most of their wealth during their lives.

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