This brief summarizes the conclusions of an evaluative study of victims compensation programs in New York as part of a nationwide assessment conducted by the Urban Institute and NORC at the University of Chicago, the National Study of Victim Compensation Program Trends, Challenges, and Successes.
As part of the National Study of Victim Compensation Program Trends, Challenges, and Successes conducted by the Urban Institute and NORC at the University of Chicago, this brief presents researchers’ evaluation of New York State’s victim compensation program to understand its utilization and professionals’ and victim claimants’ perspectives on its ability to meet victims’ needs. From 2022 to 2024, the Urban Institute and NORC at the University of Chicago conducted a national study evaluating four state crime victim compensation programs. The researchers conclude that the New York compensation program serves a vital role helping victims address the financial burden of crime with many strengths and recent improvements. Although participants identified some gaps in coverage, the program is overall comprehensive, with no limits on medical costs and increases to property and funeral coverage. The program has made great efforts to be accessible, with multiple ways to submit a newly shortened application, frequent training and outreach to victim assistance providers and other programs, and a statewide awareness campaign and needs assessment in 2023. The program also recently enacted several major changes to improve the accessibility and equity of the program, particularly eliminating the requirement to report to law enforcement and changing the policy on contributory conduct for homicide claims. Many of the findings and recommendations of this study align with those emerging nationally in conversations about how to improve victim compensation programs.