Victims of Crime Act Victim Compensation Formula Grant Program: Fiscal Year 2020 Data Analysis Report

• NCJ Number: 305198
• Date Published: October 2022

Annotation

This report presents data for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 authorized under the Victim Compensation Formula Grant Program established by the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).

Abstract

The U.S. Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), which administers the Victim Compensation (VC) Formula Grant Program, provides supplemental funding to state compensation programs across the United States and its territories through 54 State Administering Agencies (SAAs). State compensation programs offer financial compensation to individuals for expenses incurred due to criminal victimization, distinguishable from restitution. Compensation funding may be used for a range of expenses, such as medical and dental care, funeral and burial costs, mental health treatment, loss of income, childcare, relocation, and other specific uses, depending on the jurisdiction. The data presented in this report include all state compensation claims, regardless of the funding source. The percentage of VOCA funding provided to the states is set by statute. The annual grant amount is based on 75 percent of each state’s compensation payments from 2 years prior to the grant year.  The data presented in this report include all state compensation claims, regardless of the funding source. The percentage of VOCA funding provided to the states is set by statute. The annual grant amount is based on 75 percent of each state’s compensation payments from 2 years prior to the grant year. In fiscal year (FY) 2020, $133,896,000 was allocated to the VOCA VC Formula Grant program, a 3.5 - percent decrease from FY 2019. Collectively, 54 states and territories received VOCA VC grants in FY 2020; 4 These SAAs provided 361,677,837—a 9.5 percent decrease from FY 2019—in compensation funding to 218,090 claims; $133,896,000 was allocated to the VOCA VC Formula Grant program, a 3.5- percent decrease from FY 2019. Collectively, 54 states and territories received VOCA VC grants in FY 2020; 4 of these SAAs provided $361,677,837—a 9.5- percent decrease from FY 2019—in compensation funding to 218,090 claims.