This report describes the features of the Underserved Teen Victims Initiative (UTVI), which was designed and is administered by the National Crime Prevention Council and National Center for Victims of Crime to address teen victimization among underserved youth (Hispanic/Latinos, Asian Pacific Islanders, runaway and homeless youth, American Indian Youth, and LGBTQ youth).
UTVI's two main goals are to raise awareness of teen victimization and identify promising strategies for contacting and supporting underserved populations of teen victims, as well to build the capacity of victim-services professionals to reach and support these underserved teen victims. The UTVI program is designed for local communities to develop and implement a youth-led outreach campaign specific to the distinctive needs of the youth in the community. Each program site is asked to identify a target population it wishes to reach and an issue on which to focus outreach efforts. Under the program's format, each of 24 sites selected for participation is expected to form a team of youth and adults who will design and implement a new campaign that focuses on one or more of the specified underserved populations of teens. The team is expected to plan and implement a public outreach campaign to inform youth about victims' rights and services available to teen victims. These campaigns could be audio or video, public service advertisements, or printed materials. This report provides examples of the campaigns, initiatives, and resources that each UTVI site developed and implemented in its community. The programs described are categorized by the targeted youth being served: Hispanic/Latino; Asian-Pacific Islander; runaway youth; American Indians, Muslim or Arab youth; and gay lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questing youth. Guidance is offered for creating a UTVI program in one's own community.