Crime Victims Benefits

Victim Support Services

Financial Assistance:

The New York State Crime Victims Board provides financial assistance to eligible innocent victims of crime.

The New York State Crime Victims Board was created under Article 22 of the Executive Law to compensate innocent victims of crime for unreimbursed out of pocket expenses.

Since its establishment on August 1, 1966, the Board has provided substantial financial relief to victims of crime and their families by paying unreimbursed crime-related expenses, including medical and funeral expenses, loss of earnings or support, counseling, crime scene clean-up expenses, the cost to repair or replace items of essential personal property, reasonable court transportation expenses, and the cost of residing at or utilizing the services of a domestic violence shelter.

If you are an innocent victim of a crime within New York State you may be eligible to receive benefits.

You May Be Eligible If:

• You are the victim of a crime who has sustained personal physical injury
• A victim of unlawful imprisonment in the first degree
• A victim of a kidnapping in the first or second degree
• You are an elderly (60 or older), or disabled victim of a crime who has suffered a loss or damage to articles of essential personal property
• You are the surviving spouse, parent, grandparent, stepparent, child, stepchild or person dependent upon the victim who died as a direct result of a crime
• You are the person who has paid or incurred the burial expenses of an innocent victim who died as a direct result of a crime. (limited to burial expenses only)
• You are a child victim of or witness to a crime (under 18) or his/her parent, guardian or sibling
• If you are eligible but under the age of 18 or incompetent, the claim application may be filed in your behalf by a relative, guardian, conservator, committee or attorney
• You are a victim of a stalking offense

Compensation May Be Awarded If:

• The victim was an innocent victim of the crime
• The crime was reported to a criminal justice agency within one week or justification for the delay can be shown.  In cases involving sex offenses, a "criminal justice agency" shall include any medical facility that provides a forensic physical examination for victims of rape and sexual assault.

Compensation Benefits Include:

• Expenses for medical or other related services not covered by other insurance or benefit programs
• Lost earnings or loss of support up to $600 per week and up to a total maximum of $30,000.
• Burial expenses up to $2,000 ($6,000 for crimes committed on or after November 1, 1996)
• Occupational rehabilitation expenses
• Counseling services to the victim and to certain family members are paid in accordance to the Crime Victims Board fee schedule.  The fee schedule is based on reasonable fee rates depending on the credentials of the treating counselor.
• The cost of repair or replacement of essential personal property lost, damaged or destroyed as the direct result of a crime up to $500 ($100 Cash)
• Transportation expenses for necessary court appearances in connection with the prosecution of the crime
• The cost of residing at or utilizing the services of a domestic violence shelter
• For the victim of a crime who has acted as a good samaritan, the cost of lost, damaged or destroyed property up to $5,000. (A victim of a crime acts as a good samaritan when attempting to prevent a crime, lawfully apprehend the perpetrator of a crime, or assist a police officer in making an arrest)
• The cost of reasonable burial expenses without regard to the financial difficulty of the survivors when a police officer or firefighter dies from injuries received in the line of duty as a direct result of a crime
• Crime scene cleanup expenses and/or securing a crime scene up to $2,500
• Attorney fees for representation before the Board, to a maximum of $1,000.

You May Obtain Emergency Benefits If:

• You are deemed to be potentially eligible for compensation benefits and would suffer undue financial hardship if some immediate payment is not made.

Erie County District Attorney's Office
Victim/Witness Assistance Program
25 Delaware Avenue 
Buffalo, NY 14202
(716) 858-4640