Victim Compensation Program

The following text is from California's Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board (VCGCB) website. You may access the website for more information at: https://victims.ca.gov/for-victims/

 What is the Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP)?

  • The Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP) can help victims of violent crime and their families deal with the emotional, physical, and financial aftermath of crime. Victims can apply for compensation by filing an application with the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board (Board), which administers CalVCP.

Who is eligible for compensation?

  • To be eligible for compensation, a person must be a victim of a qualifying crime involving physical injury, threat of physical injury or death. For certain crimes, emotional injury alone is all that needs to be shown. Certain family members or other loved ones who suffer an economic loss resulting from an injury to, or death of, a victim of a crime may also be eligible for compensation.
  • Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements. The victim must:
    • Have been a California resident when the crime occurred, or the crime must have occurred in California.
    • Cooperate reasonably with police and court officials to arrest and prosecute the offender.
    • Cooperate with CalVCP staff to verify the application.
    • Not have been involved in events leading to the crime or have participated in the crime.
    • File the application within three years of the crime, three years after the direct victim turns 18 years of age, or three years from when the crime could have been discovered, whichever is later. Also, if the application is based on specified crimes involving sex with a minor, a victim may file at any time prior to the victim’s 28th birthday. If an application is filed late, the victim must complete the Late Filing Consideration Form and submit it with their application.

 Who is not eligible?

  • Persons who commit the crime.
  • Persons who knowingly and willingly participated in or were involved in the events leading to the crime; some exceptions may be raised.
  • Persons who do not cooperate reasonably with a law enforcement agency in the apprehension and conviction of a criminal committing the crime; some exceptions may be considered.
  • A person who is convicted of a felony may not be granted compensation until that person has been discharged from probation or has been released from a correctional institution and has been discharged from probation or parole, if any. The time for filing an application is still one year from the date the crime occurred.

 What are examples of crimes that are typically covered?

  • Assault with a deadly weapon
  • Battery (when there is injury or threat of injury)
  • Child abuse
  • Child sexual assault
  • Child endangerment and abandonment
  • Domestic violence
  • Driving under the influence with injury or death
  • Hit and run
  • Vehicular manslaughter
  • Murder
  • Robbery
  • Sexual assault
  • Stalking
  • Sexual battery
  • Unlawful sexual intercourse (where there is injury or threat of injury)
  • Terrorism
  • Other crimes that result in physical injury or a threat of physical injury to the victim

For more information on the Victim Compensation Program, visit the Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board website at: http://www.vcgcb.ca.gov/