NCJ Number
164405
Date Published
1995
Length
3 pages
Annotation
The U.S. Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) awards grants to States to pay for services that help crime victims recover physically and financially; States receive funding through OVC's victim assistance and victim compensation programs.
Abstract
Between 1986 and 1995, the OVC awarded $557,483,450 to States for victim assistance programs. This funding helped nearly 3,000 victim service programs, including rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, child abuse treatment programs, and services for surviving family members of homicide victims. The OVC also awarded $480,603,429 between 1986 and 1995 to support State victim compensation programs. This funding was used by States to help victims recover from financial burdens resulting from crime, such as medical services, mental health counseling, lost wages, and funeral costs. Compensation also assisted victims with items often not covered by insurance, such as eyeglasses and prosthetic devices. The Crime Victims Fund was created by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 as amended. Concentrated efforts by U.S. Attorneys to collect penalties from Federal offenders resulted in a record $185 million for the fund in fiscal year 1995 that allowed the OVC to send more than $150 million to States to help pay for direct victim services, including almost $65 million for victim compensation.