Crime Victims Compensation Program
Hours of Operation
Mondays-Fridays: 8:30a.m.-5:00p.m.
Location
Court Building A
515 5th Street, N.W., Room 109
Washington, D.C. 20001
Main Contact
Laura B. Reed, Program Director
Phone: (202) 879-4216
Fax: (202) 879-4230
The Crime Victims Compensation Program assists innocent victims
of violent crime and their families with crime-related expenses
such as funeral and burial costs, medical and mental health
costs, lost wages, loss of support and services, clean up
of a crime scene and, for victims of domestic violence, the
cost of temporary shelter. Through the services of a victim
advocate, crime victims receive assistance in filing applications;
locating victim service programs, support groups, or mental
health counselors; and handling quality of life issues that
arise after victimization.
Crime Victim Compensation Brochure [76k]
¿Qué es el Programa de Compensación para Víctimas de Delitos? (CVCP) [44k]
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible to receive compensation from the Crime Victims
Compensation Program the following requirements must be met:
- The victim must have suffered personal injury (physical
injury or emotional trauma) or death in the District of
Columbia, or the victim must be a resident of the District
and have suffered personal injury as a result of a terrorist
act or act of mass violence committed outside of the United
States.
- The crime must be reported to law enforcement within seven
days of occurrence. Exception: victims of sexual assault
may satisfy reporting requirement by obtaining a sexual
assault examination, victims of domestic violence may satisfy
requirement by seeking a civil protection order, and the
reporting requirement is met by victims of child cruelty
if a neglect petition is filed in D.C. Superior Court.
- Application for compensation must be filed within one
year of the occurrence of the crime, or within one year
of learning of the program with adequate showing that the
delay was reasonable.
- The victim must cooperate with the reasonable requests
of law enforcement to apprehend the offender.
- The victim may not have participated in, consented to,
or provoked the crime that caused his or her injury.
- The award of compensation may not unjustly enrich the
offender.
Who May Apply?
- The primary victim, meaning the person who was injured;
- The secondary victim, meaning the primary victim's spouse,
children, parents, siblings, grandparents, or spouse's parents;
a person who resides in the victim's household at
the time of the crime or at the time of the discovery of
the crime; a person who is a survivor of a victim and who
was dependent upon the victim for care and support at the
time of the crime; or a person who legally assumes the obligation,
or who voluntarily pays the medical expenses, or funeral
expenses for a victim.
What Is a Crime of Violence?
The offense of, or attempt to commit the offense of:
- arson
- assault
- negligent homicide
- sexual abuse
- kidnapping
- murder
- robbery
- carjacking
- cruelty to children
- stalking
- burglary
- unauthorized use of explosives
- reckless driving
- driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- terrorist acts
Applications
Application For Crime Victims Compensation [55k]
Applications may also be obtained by telephoning the Crime Victims
Compensation Program at 202-879-4216, or visiting the office
in person. The Compensation Program staff is available to
provide assistance in filing the application and to answer
questions about the program and the services offered. To facilitate
the claims process it is helpful if the claimant supplies
as much information as possible.
You should bring or mail copies of the following:
- the police report or report number;
- medical reports and bills;
- evidence of employment and lost wages; and
- court documents related to the crime.
Procedures
Completed applications are reviewed by claims examiners.
All information in the application is verified by contacting
the related law enforcement agency, employer, hospital, or
other related agency or organization. Claims examiners make
recommendations on the approval of applications to the program
director who determines the outcome. The claimant is notified
by mail of the determination and informed of the appeal process
and the availability of pro bono legal services. If there
is new or previously unavailable information, the claimant
may file a Request for Reconsideration within 30 days of the
initial determination. If the applicant disagrees with the
determination, an Appeal must be filed within 30 days. The
Appeals Board reviews the application, all supporting documents
in the file, and the determination made by the Director. The
Appeals Board may recommend a hearing if additional information
is needed. A further appeal for judicial review may be made
to the chief judge of the Superior Court within 30 days of
an appeals board decision. All Requests for Reconsideration
and Appeals are filed in the Crime Victims Compensation Program
Office.
Maximum Award
By law, the Crime Victims Compensation Program may not award
compensation in excess of $25,000 for any one claim. A claim
refers to all requests for compensation arising from a single
victimization.
Compensable Costs
- Medical expenses
- Mental health counseling: up to $3,000 for adults, $6,000
for children (also for secondary victims)
- Physical or occupational therapy, or rehabilitation.
- Lost wages: not to exceed 52 weeks or $10,000
- Loss of support to dependents (where victim is deceased
and social security is denied): up to $2,500 per dependent,
not to exceed $7,500 per victimization
- Funerals: up to $6,000
- Crime scene clean up; not to exceed $1,000
- Replacement of clothing held as evidence by law enforcement:
not to exceed $100 (does not apply where victim is deceased)
- Temporary emergency food and housing (made necessary as
a result of the crime): not to exceed 120 days or $400 for
food costs and $3,000 for housing costs
- Moving Expenses: (necessary as a result of the crime,
where the health and safety of the victim are jeopardized)
up to $1,500, not to exceed 120 days.
- Transportation Costs: to participate in the investigation
or prosecution of the case, or to receive medical treatment
or some other service necessary as a result of the crime
$100 for local; and $500 for necessary out of state travel
to receive services.
- Replacement of doors, windows, locks or other items to
secure the victims' home: up to $1000.
- Reimbursement for Rental of an automobile while the victims'
car is being held as evidence by law enforcement: up to
$2000.
- Attorneys fees- to assist in the Appeal of a determination
only: not to exceed $500 or 10 percent
of award, whichever is less
- Emergency award: not to exceed $1,000
Note: Only the services described above are compensable.
Pain and suffering and property damaged or stolen as a result
of the crime are not compensable under the Crime Victims Compensation
Program. Also, other benefits available to the victim, such
as health, life, auto, or property insurance, Medicaid, Medicare,
annual and sick leave programs offered by employers are deducted
from the amounts payable by the Compensation Program.
Hiring an Attorney
It is not necessary to have an attorney to file a claim with
the Crime Victims Compensation Program. The Crime Victims
Compensation Program cannot pay attorney's fees for
assisting a victim with the filing of a compensation application.
The claimant may have an attorney or other representative
present at any appeals proceeding. In addition to the amount
of compensation awarded to a successful claimant, a reasonable
fee may be awarded to the claimant's attorney for services
rendered in connection with an appeals proceeding. Pursuant
to D.C. Code §3-3-432(g), except for necessary costs,
an attorney shall not charge, demand, receive, or collect
a fee for services rendered in connection with a claim for
compensation in excess of 10 percent of the claimant's award
or $500, whichever is less.
Crime Victims Fund
Awards for compensation are paid from the crime victims fund.
Monies in the fund consist of assessments imposed upon criminal
defendants, a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office
for Victims of Crime and a portion of the general revenue
of the court.
Confidentiality
Information, records, and transcripts of hearings contained
in the claims files are confidential and not open to public
inspection. The claimant, his authorized representative, or
a physician treating or examining the claimant are exceptions.
Other persons may inspect the claimant's files and records
only when rendering assistance to the court on a matter pertaining
to the administration of the claim.
2007 Caseload Statistics [10k]
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