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OVP: Crime Victim Compensation

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What is Crime Victim Compensation?

Colorado’s Crime Victim Compensation law 24-4.1-100 created 22 different Crime Victim Compensation (CVC) programs that are in each judicial district across the state.   The monies for victim compensation programs come from fines that the court orders paid for convictions of felony, misdemeanor and some traffic offenses.   Each CVC program follows the Victim Compensation law and state victim compensation program standards.  The Office for Victims Programs helps local CVC programs with technical assistance, training and providing supplemental federal monies if needed to help victims in their judicial district. 

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Am I Eligible to Apply for Crime Victim Compensation?

You may apply for Crime Victim Compensation if:

  • You or your family member were physically, mentally or emotionally injured or died as a result of a crime that happened in Colorado after July 1, 1982.   
  • You are the victim of a crime in Colorado that resulted in damage to your residence.  
  • You or your family are Colorado residents who were a victim of a crime resulting in injury or death that happened in a state or county that does not have a victim compensation program.

To Receive Crime Victim Compensation, Colorado’s Law Also Requires:

  • The crime was reported to the police / sheriff department OR there is documentation that a forensic examination was conducted by a licensed or registered nurse or medical provider.
  • You or your family member(s) reasonably cooperated with police, sheriff and/or prosecutors.
  • The victim’s injury or death was not the result of the victim’s involvement in a wrongful act or substantial provocation.
  • A local victim compensation board can waive the requirements above for good cause.  
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Can Victim Compensation Help with Property Damage?

You may apply for Crime Victim Compensation for property damage if: 

  • The crime occurred at a residence.
  • The crime was reported to the police / sheriff department within 72 hours.
  • You apply for CVC assistance within six months of the crime.
  • You or your family member(s) have reasonably cooperated with police, sheriff and/or prosecutors.
  • The residential property damage was not the result of the victim’s involvement in a wrongful act or substantial provocation.
  • There was damage to exterior doors, locks or windows.
  • You need exterior door locks rekeyed, or other security measures, for safety. 
  • There were dentures, eyeglasses, hearing aids or other prosthetic or medically necessary devices damaged or stolen.
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What Can Victim Compensation Help With?

Expenses directly related to a crime that victim compensation may help with include:

  • Funeral and Burial
  • Medical and Dental
  • Mental Health
  • Lost wages 
  • Loss of support to dependents
  • Dependent care
  • Replacement services
  • Travel 
  • Relocation
  • Rekeying of locks for safety
  • Replacement of medically necessary devices

What Crimes Does Victim Compensation Help With?

Victim compensation helps with crimes that result in someone’s death or someone being physically, mentally or emotionally injured.   This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Arson 
  • Assault
  • Burglary
  • Child Physical Abuse / Neglect
  • Child Sexual Assault
  • Domestic Violence
  • Homicide (Murder)
  • Human Trafficking
  • Kidnapping
  • Robbery
  • Sexual Assault
  • Stalking
  • Vehicular Homicide
  • Vehicular Assault
  • For a complete list of crimes, please go to 24-4.1-302

Can Victim Compensation Help with Motor Vehicles?

Colorado law helps with motor vehicle expenses if:

  • You need rekeying for safety
  • Your car was towed or impounded because the police / sheriff department decided it was the scene of a crime where you or your family member was injured or killed. 

If you are a Colorado resident and your registered car was stolen, please visit lockdownyourcar.org to view a list of available resources and start an online grant application to determine eligibility. This is a separate program from Victim Compensation.

How to apply for victim compensation?

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Colorado law requires you, or your family members, to apply to the victim compensation program in the judicial district where the crime occurred.  If you do not know what judicial district the crime occurred in, you can call the police or sheriff's department where the crime was reported and ask.  The CVC program staff in the judicial district where the crime occurred will be the best source of information about submitting an application and what CVC can help with.

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Local Crime Victim Compensation Administrator Contact Information

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1st Judicial District - Gilpin and Jefferson county

Contact name: Valarie Van Kam

2nd Judicial District - Denver county

Contact name: Latoya Thorne

3rd Judicial District - Huerfano and Las Animas county

Contact name: Kendra Torres

4th Judicial District - Teller and El Paso county

Contact name: Amber Holland

5th Judicial District - Eagle, Lake, Summit, and Clear Creek

Contact name: Christine Watson

6th Judicial District - La Plata, San Juan, and Archuleta county

Contact name: Carol Little

7th Judicial District - Montrose, Delta, Gunnison, San Miguel, Ouray, and Hinsdale county

Contact name: Eleasha Cervantes

8th Judicial District - Jackson and Larimer county

Contact name: Candace Smith

9th Judicial District - Rio Blanco, Garfield, and Pitkin county

Contact name: Steve Aurand

10th Judicial District - Pueblo county

Contact name: Florence Hunt

11th Judicial District - Chaffee, Park, Fremont, and Custer county

Contact name: Keith Larsen

12th Judicial District - Mineral, Saguache, Rio Grande, Alamosa, Conejos, and Costilla county

Contact name: Tammy Rogers

13th Judicial District - Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, Phillips, Washington, Yuma, and Kit Carson county

Contact name: Jill Olsen

14th Judicial District - Moffat, Routt, and Grand

Contact name: Donna Zulian

15th Judicial District - Cheyenne, Kiowa, Prowers, and Baca county

Contact name: Tammy Williams

16th Judicial District - Crowley, Otero, and Bent county

Contact name: Crystal Barnhart

17th Judicial District - Broomfield and Adams county

Contact name: Tonya Isenbart

18th Judicial District - Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert, and Lincoln county

Contact name: Wendy Buter

19th Judicial District - Weld county

Contact name: Karol Patch

20th Judicial District - Boulder county

Contact name: Kim Stalnacker

21st Judicial District - Mesa county

Contact name: Jennifer Ballagh

22nd Judicial District - Dolores and Montezuma county

Contact name: Stephanie Carver

Crime Victim Compensation Annual Reports

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2022 Colorado Crime Victim Compensation Program Report

Nationwide, Colorado continues to rank 6th in the total amount of Crime Victim Compensation (CVC) funds disbursed to help victims though it is the 21st most populous state. As one of only two states with a decentralized Crime Victim Compensation program structure, local Colorado judicial district CVC programs assisted more victims in Federal Fiscal Year 2022 (FFY22) than 44 other states across the country (Source: OVC 2022 Federal CVC Grant Formula Chart; federal fiscal year: October 1 through September 30).

$12,160,981

funds paid by local CVC Programs for tangible financial losses incurred by 6,734 victims of crime. Crime related expenses incurred by domestic violence victims, and their children, consistently account for 27% of all CVC funds paid across the state. Crime related expenses incurred by child victims of neglect, physical and sexual abuse account for another 28% of all CVC funds paid across the state.

$10,759,830

funds collected for local CVC program expenditures. This is an approximate 29% increase from FFY21.

FFY 2022 Colorado Top 5 CVC Service Expenditures (Compensable Services Paid):

  • Medical / Dental: 31.2%
  • Mental Health: 26.5%
  • Funeral / Burial: 24.0%
  • Economic Support: 14.0%
  • Relocation / Security: 3.6%

FFY 2022 Colorado Top 5 CVC Crime Type Expenditures (Compensable Crimes Paid):

  • Assault: 38.6%
  • Homicide: 21.9%
  • Vehicular Crimes: 16.4%
  • Child Abuse: 13.8%
  • Sexual Assault / Domestic Violence Related: 6.8%

Read the full 2022 Colorado Crime Victim Compensation Program Report