State gets $186,000 for victims of violent crime

WASHINGTON – Maine will receive $186,000 in federal grant funding from the Department of Justice to help support the state Victims’ Compensation Fund, which allocates compensation payments to eligible crime victims.

“Victims of violent crimes should not be victimized twice by having to pay for the multitude of expenses – medical costs, lost wages, mental health counseling, funeral expenses, and other costs – that result from crimes committed against them,” said U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins in a joint statement.

Under the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, which established the Crime Victims Fund, criminals who break the law pay for the services that victims require after criminal incidents. The fund is financed with fines and penalties assessed against convicted federal criminals. Penalties are collected by U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country, as well as U.S. Courts.

The Maine Victims’ Compensation Fund was created in 1992, along with a board to oversee its distribution. Eligible crime victims may receive up to $15,000 in compensation for specific expenses suffered as a direct result of the crime. These funds are not intended to substitute court-ordered restitution and must be paid back in the event that restitution covers the expenses in question.