LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Crime Victims Reparations Board awarded $244,732.32 in reparations in September, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel announced today. Awards were made in 160 new cases, with additional expenses paid in 25 previously submitted cases.
Victims of violent crime in Arkansas are eligible to receive reparations from the state’s Crime Victims Reparations Program to compensate for unexpected expenses as a result of the crime. Victims may receive funding for medical treatment, mental health counseling, lost wages or other related costs.
The Arkansas Crime Victims Reparations Board determines which claims are eligible for payment and how much money will be awarded to each claimant. Most awards are limited to $10,000 or less. The maximum award, however, may be as high as $25,000 for crime victims who receive catastrophic injuries.
In 2013, the Crime Victims Reparations Board awarded a total of $3,910,389.92 in reparations.
The Attorney General’s office administers the Crime Victims Reparations Program. Established by the General Assembly in 1987, the Crime Victims Reparations Program is funded through court costs and fees. A portion of the funding comes from fines assessed to convicted criminals.
Board members are Dr. Janice Church, Bryce Brewer and Alex Finger, all of Little Rock, Colleen Nick of Alma and Louis Jones of Fayetteville. For more information about the program, call the Crime Victims Hotline at (800) 448-3014 or visit the Attorney General’s website, www.ArkansasAG.gov.
