Each of the states and the federal government have established a crime victim compensation fund or program to assist victims of violent crime with expenses related to the crime. To receive financial assistance from a crime victim compensation fund, a person must complete an application. Crime victim compensation funds are often funded by fines and penalties assessed against convicted criminal offenders, and by private donations, rather than by tax dollars.

Eligibility for payment of crime-related costs from state and federal crime victim compensation funds varies, but such funds are generally available to pay for a variety of expenses, including:

• medical, hospital, physical therapy, and nursing home care

• psychiatric care or counseling

• loss of wages, income, or support

• loss of wages and travel expenses due to participation in the investigation and prosecution of the crime

• funeral and burial expenses

• crime scene cleanup expenses

• care for a child or a dependent

• relocation expenses for domestic violence victims and sexual assault victims attacked in their own residence

• replacement costs for clothing, bedding, or other property seized as evidence or rendered unusable as a result of the investigation

• job training and vocational rehabilitation

• training in the use of required personal health appliances

• making a home or car handicapped accessible in the event of catastrophic injuries and permanent disability

• home health care

• attorney fees for assistance in completing the crime victim compensation application

The persons eligible to receive payment for crime-related costs from crime victim compensation funds varies, but victims who may qualify for compensation generally include:

• an innocent victim of crime who suffers physical, mental, or emotional harm or death

• a person who is a dependent of a victim of a crime

• a person who legally assumes the financial obligations or voluntarily pays certain crime-related expenses on behalf of the victim

• an authorized person acting on behalf of a victim

• an immediate family member or household members related by blood or marriage who require psychiatric care or counseling as a result of the crime

• a person who comes to the aid of a crime victim or a police officer

• a police officer, firefighter, or other person whose employment includes protecting the public

In Connecticut, the Office of Victim Services (OVS) administers the Crime Victim Compensation Program, which provides financial assistance to victims of violent crime and their eligible family members. The program is designed to cover expenses that are the direct result of a crime, such as medical and dental care, counseling, funeral and burial costs, lost wages, and other out-of-pocket expenses. However, it does not cover property losses. The compensation is funded by the collection of court fees from convicted offenders, not from tax dollars. To be eligible for compensation, victims must report the crime to law enforcement within five days, cooperate with the investigation and prosecution of the offense, and submit a compensation application within two years of the crime or within two years after a minor victim turns 18. There are exceptions to these requirements for good cause or if the victim was a victim of sexual assault or abuse. Compensation is considered the payer of last resort, meaning it only covers costs not paid by insurance or other sources. The program also provides funds for services like relocation for domestic violence or sexual assault victims, and attorney fees for assistance in completing the compensation application. Immediate family members, dependents of the victim, and those who have paid or are legally responsible for the victim's expenses may also be eligible for compensation.