Look here for answers to frequently asked questions about the Georgia Victims Compensation Program. If the topic you are looking for is not covered here — or if you need additional information about something you see on this page — please call the Georgia Victims Compensation Program at 800.547.0060 or email victims.info@cjcc.ga.gov. For additional questions not covered below, please click here.
Watch this video to learn about GA Victims Comp at a glance.
Who Can Apply For Crime Victims Compensation?
- You are an innocent victim of a violent crime and suffered physical injury.
- You went to the aid of another and suffered physical injury and/or serious mental or emotional trauma as a result of a violent crime.
- You witnessed or were threatened with a crime and suffered serious mental or emotional trauma as a result.
- You are the parent or legal guardian of a minor victim and you paid bills/out of pocket expenses related to the victimization.
- You are the parent or legal guardian of a minor victim and you suffered a loss of income or support due to the victimization.
- You are the surviving spouse, parent, sibling or child of a homicide victim (includes step relationships for crimes occurring on or after May 6, 2015).
- You were legally dependent on financial support from a deceased crime victim.
- You are a family violence victim who is dependent on financial support from the offender.
- You are not the victim, but you have been paying bills related to the crime.
- You are someone who has taken responsibility (or is listed as a guarantor) for debt incurred as a result of a violent crime.
- Please Note: Our program does not cover suicide or suicide related expenses.
How Do I Qualify For Crime Victims Compensation?
- In order to qualify for the program the crime must have been reported to the proper authorizes within 72 hours of the crime; and the victim must file an application within 1 year of the crime, unless good cause is shown. A claim submitted 3 years after the victimization cannot be considered for crimes occurring prior to July 1, 2014.
- Please Note: For crimes occurring on or after July 1, 2014, the victim must file an application within 3 years of the date of the crime. In cases where the victim was a minor at the time of the victimization and an application was not filed on their behalf, he or she may file an application until 3 years after his or her eighteenth birthday. If good cause is show, the board may extend the time for filing any claim.
What Are The Reporting And Filing Deadlines To Qualify For Victims Compensation?
- The victim/witness must have reported the crime to the proper authorities within 72 hours of the crime, (unless good cause is shown).
- For crimes occurring prior to July 1, 2014, an application must be filed within 1 year of the crime, unless good cause is shown (a claim submitted 3 years after the victimization cannot be considered).
- For crimes occurring on or after July 1, 2014, the victim/witness must file a claim within 3 years of the crime or the death of the victim. However, if the victim is a minor at the time of the victimization, he or she can file an application until 3 years after his or her eighteenth birthday. If good cause is shown, the Board may extend the time for filing a claim.
Does The Program Pay For Property Damage Or Loss?
- No. The Program does not cover property loss or damage unless it is for the replacement of medically necessary devices such as eyeglasses, wheelchair, etc.
Do You Have To Be A Georgia Resident To Apply For Program?
- No. You do not have to be a Georgia resident to apply for the Program, but the crime must have occurred in Georgia.
If The Assault Happened In Another State, Can You Apply In Georgia?
- No. You should apply for Victim’s Compensation in the state where the crime occurred.
Can I Use The Program If I Live In Another Country?
If You Are Assaulted In A Foreign Country, Can You Apply?
- Yes. You can apply for Georgia Crime Victims Compensation if you are a Georgia resident who was victimized in a country that does not have a Victim’s Compensation Program.
Who Is NOT Eligible For Crime Victims Compensation?
- A victim of property crime only.
- You were committing a crime or you were incarcerated when the crime occurred.
- You participated in or were involved in the events leading to the crime.
- You were on probation or parole due to a felony crime involving physical injury to others when the crime occurred.
- You are filing the application more than 3 years from the date of the crime (for crimes occurring prior to July 1, 2014).
I don’t speak English very well. How can I get language help?
- Click on Select Language yellow button on the top right corner of this page to select a language by choosing the flag icons.
- Call the Crime Victims Compensation Program directly, dial 800-547-0060 (toll-free). You can ask for language assistance when you call. The helpline has trained Program Advocates available to assist you.
- Additionally, if you need any assistance in completing the forms, please call Raksha at 404-876-0670.
I am not a citizen or legal or permanent resident of the United States. Can I still get to file a claim?
- Yes, if you fit the eligibility requirements. Citizenship is not a program requirement to apply or to receive compensation.
Will my application or claim harm my green card processing, citizenship or immigration status in any way?
- No. For information regarding your specific situation and case, do make sure you talk to an attorney and/or speak to trained program advocates on the helplines.
- In the United States, victims of crime can apply for victims compensation, regardless of their immigration or citizenship status, as long as they fit all the other eligibility requirements for filing a claim.
Victims Comp is not considered a public benefit. U.S. law provides several protections for legal and undocumented immigrants who have been victims of a crime. There are specific protections for victims of domestic violence, victims of certain crimes, and victims of human trafficking. (Source: Department of Homeland Security).
DISCLAIMERS:
This page was produced by Raksha, Inc under grant number 15POVC-24-GK-02976-NONF, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, & U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this page are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. Content & Translation: The content on this page is provided on the Raksha website with the sole purpose of enhancing public access to information and basic awareness on Victims Compensation for our communities. The translations of any materials/information into languages other than English are not legally binding and are intended solely as a convenience to individuals who may have limited proficiency in reading or understanding English. Any translations provided on the Raksha website are to be viewed as an approximation of the original content. Raksha does not bear responsibility for the accuracy of translations provided by third party translation providers such as Google Translate or the language translation plug-in installed on our website or with the help of multilingual volunteers or native speakers of the language within our team. Due to the inherent complexities or nuances in translating from English to a foreign language, certain words may lose their full intended meaning or significance when translated from the original language to another. Hence, all text may not be translated correctly or with guaranteed accuracy. Some files and other items cannot be translated, including but not limited to, video content, graphical buttons, drop down menus, graphics, and photos. Additionally, some applications and/or services may not work as expected when translated and some portions of the page content may not be translated at all. In cases where we are not certain of the literal translation for a particular word, we may: (i) use the best match that comes closest to conveying the information needed to go out; or (ii) use the original English word written in the script of the language we are translating to. While we strive to provide the most current information, we cannot bear responsibility for maintaining status on updates or time relevance of the source materials, information or links to the official resources we source from. The content on victims compensation on the Raksha website has been sourced from the official website for the Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program or related official sources. References identifying the original document in English will be made available in most non-English documents. If there are any concerns regarding the accuracy of the information presented within the translated versions of our site, please refer back to the official source website or English-language pages on our website. To access the current information and updates, please visit: www.crimevictimscomp.ga.gov/our-programs/victims-compensation.