When other resources are exhausted, the Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program (Victims Comp) may be able to assist you with up to $25,000 in compensation for expenses and loss of income or support as a result of the victimization.
The Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program is a vital resource that aims to provide assistance and support to victims of violent crimes. It serves as a safety net, offering financial compensation to individuals who have suffered as a result of crimes such as homicide, rape, robbery, assault, sexual abuse, serious injury by vehicle including drunk driving, and family/domestic violence.
By offering this compensation, the program helps victims recover from the physical, emotional, and financial aftermath of these traumatic events. It acknowledges the hardships they have endured and aims to alleviate some of the burdens they may face in their journey towards healing and rebuilding their lives.
The program understands that victims may incur various expenses as a direct result of the crime perpetrated against them. These expenses may include medical bills, therapy and counseling costs, funeral expenses, and lost wages due to the inability to work during the recovery process. The Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program aims to alleviate these financial burdens by providing reimbursement for eligible expenses, ensuring that victims have access to the necessary resources to aid in their recovery.
Moreover, the program also recognizes the importance of supporting victims emotionally, offering guidance and resources to assist them in navigating the criminal justice system. It works in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, victim advocates, and community organizations to ensure that victims receive the necessary support and information throughout their journey.
In addition to financial assistance and emotional support, the program strives to raise awareness about the rights and needs of crime victims. It educates the public on various resources available and promotes greater understanding and empathy towards victims of violent crimes.
The Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program is dedicated to helping victims move forward and rebuild their lives. It embodies the state’s commitment to standing alongside victims, providing them with the necessary support and resources to aid in their recovery and healing process.
Suicide and property crime related claims for lost, stolen, or damaged property are not covered by the program.
You may qualify if you
- Were physically injured or witnessed a violent crime
- Suffered serious mental or emotional trauma as a result of being threatened or being present during a violent crime
- Were hurt trying to help a victim
- Are the parent or guardian of someone who was killed or injured as a result of a violent crime
- Depended on someone for financial support who was killed as a result of a violent crime
- Are not the victim, but have been paying bills related to the crime
- Have a child who was the victim and you relied on the offender for financial support
- Were the victim of family violence who relied on the offender for financial support
Types of Expenses covered
The Georgia Victim Compensation program covers the following types of expenses, up to the limits noted. The maximum program award is $25,000 per victim, per victimization.
- Medical Expenses: up to $15,000 (including prescriptions and copays)
- Loss of Income or Support: up to $20,000
- You are the victim and were gainfully employed at the time of the crime and suffered a loss of income due to the victimization. Click here for required documents. Please Note: You can only be reimbursed when you missed work and were not paid, or your wages were only partially covered.
- You are the custodial parent/legal guardian of a minor victim or developmentally disabled adult and you missed work because of the victimization. Click here for required documents. Please Note: You can only be reimbursed when you missed work and were not paid, or your wages were only partially covered.
- You were gainfully employed and suffered a loss of income due to attending court proceedings and/or meetings with investigative agencies (For example, law enforcement, Division of Family Services, etc.) or Prosecutor’s offices when not subpoenaed. Click here for required documents.
- You are the surviving spouse, child, step-child, parent, or step-parent who was dependent for his or her primary support upon the deceased victim. Click here for required documents.
- You are a victim of family violence who can establish financial dependency on the income of the incarcerated/absent offender at the time of the victimization. To establish financial dependency, the victim must submit documentation proving that they are the spouse, child, or a person covered under the offender’s health insurance or listed as a dependent on the offender’s Federal/State Tax Return Transcript. Click here for required documents.
- You are the parent, child, or spouse (including step relationships) of a deceased victim who was gainfully employed at the time of the crime and suffered a loss of income due to bereavement. As of July 1, 2019 siblings (and step-siblings) are also eligible for this benefit. Click here for required documents.
- Mental Health Counseling Expenses: up to $3,000
- Submit copies of any itemized counseling bills related to the victimization. Click here for an example.
- The counselor must be licensed and in good standing with the appropriate licensing board. Click here for a counseling fee schedule.
- A completed Psychological Service Report is required for reimbursement beyond the fourth session.
- Funeral Expenses: up to $6,000*
- Submit an itemized funeral bill, a signed death certificate and a receipt indicating the amount you paid (if applicable).
- Note: For crimes prior to May 6, 2015, the categorical cap is $3,000*
- Crime Scene Sanitization: up to $1,500
- Submit an itemized bill from a company trained in crime scene and biohazard clean-up.
- Please note: mileage is not an eligible expense.
For additional programs where victims may apply directly, click here.
Most Common Compensable Crimes
- Child Molestation
- Cruelty to Children
- Child Abuse
- Human Trafficking
- Sexual Offenses
- Domestic Violence
- Reckless Conduct
- Homicide
- Homicide by Vehicle
- Hit-and-Run
- Serious Injury By Vehicle
- DUI Crashes
- Assault/Battery
- Robbery
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.