Victim of Crime Compensation Program

Under California law (Government Code Sections 13959-13969.3), qualifying victims of crime may receive financial assistance for losses resulting from a crime when these losses cannot be reimbursed by other sources. The State Board of Control, Victims of Crime Program, administers California's Crime Victim Compensation Program. Click on the links below for more information:

Requirements
Losses that May Be Covered by the Program
General Payment Limitations
Eligibility for Filing a Claim
Filing Deadlines
How Can Someone File?

Requirements:

• The crime must have occurred in California, or if the crime occurred outside of California, the victim must have been a California resident at the time of the crime.
• The crime must be reported to the police, sheriff, highway patrol, or other appropriate law enforcement agency.
• The victim must reasonably cooperate with law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of any known suspect(s).
• The victim must cooperate with staff of the Board of Control and/or Victim Witness Assistance in the verification of the claim.
• All other sources of reimbursement must be used first.

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Losses that May Be Covered by the Program:

The program may cover the following losses:

• Medical/dental
• Mental health counseling
• Wage/income
• Financial support
• Funeral/burial
• Job retraining

Personal property losses, including cash, are not eligible for reimbursement under the Program. The Program also cannot reimburse applicants for expenses related to the prosecution of an alleged perpetrator or compensate applicants for "pain and suffering." However, losses not covered by the Program may be recoverable either through court-ordered restitution as a part of a convicted perpetrator's criminal sentence or through the enforcement of a judgment obtained in a civil lawsuit against the alleged perpetrator.

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General Payment Limitations

The total reimbursements to a victim cannot exceed the maximum benefit of $46,000. Compensation available under the Program can include loss of wages or income, loss of support, medical expenses, outpatient mental health counseling expenses, and funeral/burial expenses.

The Victim Witness Assistance Program is the "payer of last resort." If any other sources of reimbursement are available for crime-related losses, these available sources must be used before becoming eligible for payments from the Program. Other reimbursement sources may include, but are not limited to, medical, dental, life, or auto insurance, public program benefits, workers' compensation benefits, court-ordered restitution, or civil lawsuit recovery.

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Eligibility for Filing a Claim

Who is eligible to file a claim?

• A "victim" who was injured or died as a result of a crime.
• A "derivative victim" who was not directly injured or killed as a result of a crime but who, at the time of the crime,
• Was the parent, sibling, spouse, or child of the victim; OR
• Was living in the household of the victim at the time of the crime; OR
• Had lived with the victim for at least two years in a relationship similar to a parent, sibling, spouse, or child of the victim; OR
• Was another family member of the victim, including the victim's fiancé(e) and witnessed the crime; OR
• Is the primary caretaker of a minor victim but was not the primary caretaker at the time of the crime; OR
• Anyone who pays for the medical and/or funeral/burial expenses of a deceased victim.

Who is not eligible?

• Persons who commit the crime.
• Persons who contribute to or take part in the events leading to the crime.
• Persons who do not reasonably cooperate with law enforcement in the investigation and/or prosecution of known suspects.
• Persons who do not cooperate with any staff of the Victim Witness Assistance Program in the verification of the claim.

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Filing Deadlines

Applications for adult victims must be filed within one year of the date of the crime. Applications resulting from crimes against a minor must be filed before the minor's 19th birthday. For "good cause," an extension may be granted for such applications filed up to three years after the date of the crime for adults and up to 21st birthday for a minor.

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How Can Someone File?

Victim Witness Assistance Programs work with the State Board of Control Victims of Violent Crime staff to assist victims in submitting the forms necessary to obtain reimbursement. Information and assistance may be obtained by contacting the Merced County District Attorney's VICTIM WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. For more information about the program, call (209) 725-3515.

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