HARRISBURG – Gov. Edward G. Rendell announced the launch of the nation’s first, fully automated, online, claim-filing service for victims of crime.
The service is part of the victim’s compensation assistance program, or VCAP, which provides financial assistance to crime victims and their families. The program is administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
“With this new online service, crime victims have one more tool to help them more quickly recover and rebuild their lives,” said Rendell. “The service is another example of how PCCD employs technology to help victims overcome the devastating and debilitating impact of a crime — including the crippling financial effects.”
The new service enables crime victims to file compensation claims online and features easy-to-understand instructions. Claims filed online can be more rapidly processed than claims filed through the U.S. mail.
In the past fiscal year, VCAP processed 7,600 compensation claims and disbursed $12.8 million to assist victims of crime and their families.
The victim’s compensation assistance program is managed by PCCD’s Office of Victims’ Services, which provides support and educational programming to crime victims, victim service professionals and the public. Since 2004, the office has administered more than $110 million in grant awards for victim’s services throughout Pennsylvania.
For more information about online compensation claim filing and the commission’s other services and programs, visit the Web site.