Home > Resources

Victim's Compensation

The Victim Compensation Program can help pay bills and expenses that result from a crime. If you have been injured or have been threatened with injury, or if someone in your family has been killed or injured, you may be eligible for victim compensation funds.

Who is Eligible?

Victims of crimes including:

• Domestic violence
• Child abuse
• Assault
• Sexual assault
• Molestation
• Homicide
• Robbery
• Drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter

The program is designed to help victims of crimes that occur in California; however, help may also be available to California residents if they become victims in other states or outside the country.

Family members of crime victims can also be helped, including:

• Spouse or domestic partner
• Child
• Parent
• Legal guardian
• Brother and/or sister
• Grandparent
• Grandchild
• Significant others in your household

What is Covered?

What expenses can the program cover?

• Medical and dental treatment
• Mental health counseling
• Lost income, if a disability results from the crimeFuneral and burial expenses
• Loss of support for dependents, if a victim of crime is disabled or killed
• Job retraining, if the crime victim is disabled because of the crime
• Home or vehicle modifications if the victim is disabled because of the crime
• Emergency relocation
• Insurance co-payments
• Crime scene cleanup, when the crime happens in the victim’s home
• Medically necessary equipment

Expenses not covered by the program:

• Lost, damaged or stolen property
• Pain and suffering
• Expenses paid by an insurance company
• A person who is on felony probation, parole, in jail or prison does not qualify for any funds under this program

Limits apply on how much can be paid for each claim.

Qualification and Applying

To qualify for the program you must:

• File a crime report with a law enforcement agency or child protective services
• Apply within one year of the crime (children under 18 when the crime happened have until their 19th birthday to apply)
• Cooperate with law enforcement during the investigation and prosecution of the crime
• Cooperate with Victim Witness Assistance Center by providing the necessary information to review and process your application

To apply for help, contact the San Joaquin County Victim Witness Assistance Center at (209) 468-2500.

For more information, visit the California Victim Compensation Program website