HARRISBURG –A bipartisan measure called the VICTIM Act was signed into law as part of the 2026-27 Fiscal Code. It establishes a new grant program through the PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency to help local law enforcement agencies improve clearance rates for homicides and other violent crimes. The state budget also includes $2.5 million to fund the initiative. The new program will provide grants to help law enforcement agencies hire and retain detectives and investigators, invest in evidence-analysis technology and other investigative tools, and strengthen support for victims and families impacted by unsolved violent crime. More than one-quarter of homicides in PA remain unsolved, while clearance rates for other violent crimes continue to lag. Improving investigative capacity will not only help deliver justice for victims and their loved ones, but also deter future crime by increasing the likelihood that offenders are identified and prosecuted.
