Criminal fines collected by U.S. Attorneys, the U.S. Courts and the Bureau of Prisons are deposited into the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant, which is administered by the Justice Department's Office for Victims of Crime (OVC).  The Fund supports these annual victim assistance awards to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories.  Fines collected in one year are available for grant awards the following year.

Each year, funding is made available through the Fund to provide compensation to victims of crime to lessen their financial burden caused by the crime.  This year's award represents 60 percent of what California paid to eligible crime victims during FY 2003.  The state agency designated by the Governor to administer crime victim compensation in California is the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board.  This year $64,796,000 has been awarded to reimburse victims for some of the costs incurred as a result of a crime, such as medical expenses, lost wages, mental health counseling and care, and funeral expenses.

In a similar manner, funding is made available to provide assistance to crime victims through crime victim assistance programs.  The California Office of Homeland Security-Office of Emergency Services is the designated agency for the State of California and has been awarded $39,969,000 to administer the crime victim assistance programs.  State crime victim assistance programs sub-grant VOCA funds to local victim service providers to administer programs for victims of sexual assault, drunk driving, child abuse, domestic violence, and other crimes. Victims of federal and state crimes are eligible to receive VOCA funded services.

As a result of these efforts, in Fiscal Year 2004, local crime victim assistance programs will receive a total of $39 million in federal grant funds.  Through the states, OVC provides funding for approximately 6,400 victim assistance programs serving 3.2 million crime victims each year.  California's share for both Victim Compensation and Victim Assistance Programs will be a total of $104,765,000 for this year.

The federal victim assistance grant program is designed to supplement state victim assistance programs.  OVC awards the annual grants to state agencies selected by governors, which sub-grant the federal dollars to local community agencies that assist crime victims.

For more information about California's victim assistance program, contact the California Office of Homeland Security-Office of Emergency Services at (916) 322-9235.  Information about OVC and its programs is available at, or by calling the Office for Victims of Crime Resource Center at (202)307-0703.  Inquiries to the U.S. Attorney's Office should be directed to Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Jacobs at (415)436-7181.