|
VICTIM SERVICES / VICTIM COMPENSATION - CONNECTICUT
The following includes excerpts from the Office of Victim Services, State of Conn. Judicial Branch, Victim Services FAQ.
WHAT ARE VICTIM SERVICES?
Connecticut has programs to help victims of crime and their families. These programs address victim concerns such as safety, notification, and financial loss. The Office of Victim Services (OVS) provides the following services and programs:
- Court-based OVS Victim Advocates
- Crime Victim Information Clearinghouse
- Victim Assistance Center
- Direct services to victims through community-based agencies
- Crime Victim Compensation
WHAT SERVICES DO COURT-BASED VICTIM ADVOCATES PROVIDE?
The Office of Victim Services court-based OVS Victim Advocates help crime victims by providing information and assistance. OVS Victim Advocates are available in many of the courthouses throughout the state. OVS Victim Advocates can provide information about:
- The criminal justice system
- Victim rights
- A specific case
- Other victim services
OVS Victim Advocates can assist victims by:
- Providing a court escort
- Providing assistance during court procedures
- Assisting with the return of property
- Providing social service referrals
- Assisting in processing claims for restitution
- Helping victims write a victim impact statement
- Coordinating victim compensation applications to the OVS
WHAT IS THE CRIME VICTIM INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE?
OVS operates a Crime Victim Information Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse offers information about current cases in the Connecticut criminal courts such as the next scheduled court date or type of hearing scheduled. Also, through the Victim Notification Program, the Clearinghouse offers information about changes in the status of convicted inmates. This may include the dates and locations of:
- Parole hearings
- Sentence review
- Sentence modification
- Discharge from a correctional institution
- Parole release
- Halfway house release
- Transitional supervision release
- Pardon hearings
The Clearinghouse does not provide information regarding non-convicted persons or convicted persons sent to state hospitals for mental illness, or furloughs.
WHAT IS THE VICTIM ASSISTANCE CENTER?
The Victim Assistance Center is a central repository of crime victim rights and resource information that is operated by OVS. The Center's Victim Advocate can provide:
- Assessment
- Referrals
- Information on victim rights and resources
HOW CAN I ACCESS COMPENSATION FOR FINANCIAL LOSSES ASSOCIATED WITH VIOLENT CRIME?
OVS provides information, services, and financial compensation to victims of violent crime, their families, and other eligible individuals. The fund helps victims of violent crime recover lost wages and certain out-of-pocket medical expenses associated with violent crime. (Losses associated with property crime cannot be compensated through this fund.) A portion of this fund is generated through fines and fees paid by those convicted of crimes. OVS operates the Compensation Program.
WHAT IS THE COMPENSATION PROGRAM?
This program assists crime victims, and family members of homicide or child sexual assault victims, to receive compensation for expenses not covered by other sources such as health insurance or Workers' Compensation. Compensation may be provided for:
- Medical and dental costs related to the crime
- Counseling for victims and family members
- Victim's lost wages
- Loss of support and/or funeral costs for family members of homicide victims
Compensation is provided in the form of reimbursement for all costs that were not covered by collateral sources. For survivors of homicide victims, up to $25,000 may be paid; for other victims of violent crime, up to $15,000 may be paid. In order to be eligible for compensation, state law requires that the criminal incident be reported to the police within five (5) days of the personal injury or death. There are no income level criteria; all eligible victims may apply for compensation. An application for compensation must be filed with OVS within two years after the crime. An OVS Claims Examiner will work with the applicant to collect the needed information.
WHAT IS RESTITUTION?
Restitution is payment by the offender to the victim to cover some or all of the costs associated with a crime. It is ordered by a judge and usually paid through the Office of Adult Probation. To obtain restitution in a criminal court case, contact the Prosecutor's Office or the OVS Victim Advocate.
VICTIM SERVICES: DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
The Department of Corrections Victim Services Unit provides support and information to victims after the offender has been incarcerated. Victims can either be crime victims or people who may be in fear because of an offender's crime. Services include:
- Notification about an offender's release
- Setting up and facilitating of offender-victim dialogues
- Tours of prison facilities to reassure victims about prison security
- Communication with parole officers after the offender has been released.
TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT'S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE:
Search by service names:
-----------------------------------
SOURCES: Office of Victim Services, State of Conn. Judicial Branch, Victim Services FAQ, Refer Database
PREPARED BY: 211/fj
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: May2008
|
