State Attorney Worrell gives update on public safety

State Attorney Monique Worrell in a news conference Wednesday morning said funding for her district’s crime victims was slashed after the Victim of Crime Act Funding contract was changed in December. Worrell said Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit, like all others, receives federal funding to support victims of violent crimes. This funding also supports salaries for the office’s 28 victims’ advocates. Worrell asked Florida’s attorney general to change the contract back to its original text, prior to funding cuts. She said the 9th Judicial Circuit is being treated differently from others across the state. The contract Worrell said her office complied with every requirement needed when it requested its annual funding for VOCA. The funding was based on previous years. She said the 2025-26 funding application was submitted as always, was accepted, and deliverables were approved.But then the contact was changed, “rewritten” in December, Worrell said. She said there was no meeting, no discussion and they were just given the new numbers. Worrell called the move “detached from real data.”She said with the new contract, her office can serve fewer than 700 domestic violence victims – down from the more than 3,000 they have helped in previous years.>> This is a developing story and will be updated

ORLANDO, Fla. —

State Attorney Monique Worrell in a news conference Wednesday morning said funding for her district’s crime victims was slashed after the Victim of Crime Act Funding contract was changed in December.

Worrell said Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit, like all others, receives federal funding to support victims of violent crimes. This funding also supports salaries for the office’s 28 victims’ advocates.

Worrell asked Florida’s attorney general to change the contract back to its original text, prior to funding cuts.

She said the 9th Judicial Circuit is being treated differently from others across the state.

The contract

Worrell said her office complied with every requirement needed when it requested its annual funding for VOCA. The funding was based on previous years.

She said the 2025-26 funding application was submitted as always, was accepted, and deliverables were approved.

But then the contact was changed, “rewritten” in December, Worrell said. She said there was no meeting, no discussion and they were just given the new numbers.

Worrell called the move “detached from real data.”

She said with the new contract, her office can serve fewer than 700 domestic violence victims – down from the more than 3,000 they have helped in previous years.

>> This is a developing story and will be updated