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Victim Compensation

Colorado Crime Victims Compensation Program
If you are the victim of a crime, you may be eligible for compensation through this fund. Colorado’s Crime Victim Compensation was created by state statute in 1981. Colorado has a decentralized system, which means that compensation programs exist in each of the state’s 22 judicial districts. The judicial district where the crime occurred is responsible for accepting and reviewing victim compensation applications. If you are the victim of a violent crime in Colorado or if you are a Colorado resident who has been victimized in a state or country that does not have a compensation program, you may be eligible to receive victim compensation. Colorado residents who are victims of terrorist acts may also be eligible. Applications must be submitted to the district where the crime occurred. Generally, victim compensation covers For eligibility and application information, please go to this link https://sites.google.com/a/state.co.us/dcj-victim-program/home/victims-compensation.

Other Compensation for Crime Victims
Many victims are interested in how they can be compensated for financial losses that they suffered as a result of a crime. In the federal criminal justice system, compensation for victims is called restitution. The Mandatory Restitution Act of 1996 established procedures for determining the circumstances under which and what amount of restitution a victim may be entitled. Under federal law for many crimes, it is mandatory that a defendant, if convicted, be ordered to pay full restitution related to offenses s/he is found guilty of. Court-ordered restitution follows a defendant for twenty years post-incarceration; however, there is no guarantee that all of the restitution ordered will be collected.

Updated June 30, 2015