Crime Victims' Compensation Program
Crime Victims’ Compensation Program
In addition to psychological and physical trauma, victims and their families often incur unexpected expenses as a result of crime, including medical and counseling expenses. The Oregon Crime Victim's Compensation Program (CVCP) can help ease the financial burden suffered by victims if they have qualifying expenses that resulted from a crime.
Compensation can be awarded to the victim even when no one is arrested or convicted for the crime. As soon as a police report has been created, a victim has the option to apply for compensation. CVCP can accept a claim without an identified perpetrator or a criminal conviction.
Who is eligible for compensation?
1. The applicant must have been injured (or is the survivor of someone who was killed) in Oregon.
2. The applicant’s physical and/or emotional injuries were the result of a “compensable crime.”
3. The applicant reported the crime to the appropriate law enforcement officials within 72 hours.*
4. The applicant is willing to cooperate fully to apprehend and prosecute the assailant. (If the assailant is not able to be prosecuted due to various reasons, the victim may still be able to apply for compensation.)
5. The applicant was not involved in a wrongful act (i.e. did not provoke the assailant and/or otherwise did not contribute to the injury or death).
6. The applicant applied for compensation within 12 months of the crime.*
*This requirement may be waived with good cause determined by CVCP.
Indirect victims of the crime, such as a child who witnessed domestic violence or parents of a child sex abuse victim may also be eligible for compensation.
What is a compensable crime?
This means that that the crime was not the result of an accident but was the fault of another person.
What are some examples of the benefits for victims and their families that CVCP can cover?
- “Reasonable” medical, hospital, and counseling expenses, up to $20,000.
- Funeral or burial expenses, up to $5,000.
- Documented loss of earnings/support, up to $400/week, with a maximum benefit of $20,000.
The Crime Victims' Compensation Program advises the applicant of its decision in writing. This notification usually is made within 90 days of the date the application was received.
If the victim, or the victim’s survivor, has other benefits that may cover his or her crime-related expenses (e.g., private insurance, the Oregon Health Plan, Medicaid or Medicare), those benefits must be billed before the Crime Victims’ Compensation Program will consider the same expenses for payment. If the victim, or the victim’s survivor, later gets payment from any other source for expenses that the program has paid, the victim or the victim’s survivor must repay the program those amounts.
OCVLC can help victims and survivors discuss if they are eligible for compensation as soon as they have reported an incident to law enforcement, we can also discuss good cause waivers, and assist in completion of the application.
CVCP is administered by the Oregon Department of Justice - Crime Victims' Services Division.
For more information or the online application click here.