The Georgia General Assembly created the Crime Victims Compensation Program in 1988 for two primary purposes: to assist victims with expenses they incurred as a result of a violent crime and to encourage victims to participate in the criminal justice system.
Less than two years later the program helped the first victim, thanks to an initial allocation of $100,000. In 1992, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council became the administrative agency for the Crime Victims Compensation Program, and the program has continued to flourish and help more victims each year. Last year, we awarded over $19 million to more than 6,700 people in 148 of Georgia’s 159 counties. Funds used to help victims come from four sources: probation fees, Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant, DUI fines and parole fees.
