Victims of Crime program receives $22M

Nevada’s Victims of Crime program has been awarded $22 million to provide funding and services to state and federal crime victims this coming year.

The state Department of Health and Human Services was awarded $19.98 million in victim assistance money and the Department of Administration another $2 million in victim compensation funds.

U.S. Attorney for Nevada Daniel Bogden said the money is primarily coming from fines paid by criminal offenders who are collected by the courts and federal Bureau of Prisons. He said the money isn’t taxpayer dollars.

“This is the highest amount of funding ever provided to the state of Nevada to directly help victims of crimes and programs that support them,” Bogden said.

The crime assistance money will be awarded by the state to community-based groups who provide services to victims including domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, child abuse programs and other counseling, advocacy and emergency services.

The victim compensation funding is awarded for expenses such as medical costs, counseling, funeral and burial costs as well as lost wages as a result of being a victim of crime. That money is disbursed through the state VOC program managed by the Board of Examiners.