NCJ Number
39008
Date Published
1975
Length
76 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF AN AUDIT OF THE NEW YORK STATE CRIME VICTIMS COMPENSATION BOARD (CVCB), WHICH PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR MEDICAL CARE, DISABILITY, OR LOSS OF EARNINGS FOR ELIGIBLE VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME.
Abstract
THE FOCUS OF THE AUDIT WAS TO 1) ANALYZE THE WORKLOAD AND PERFORMANCE OF THE CVCB, 2) ESTIMATE THE PERCENTAGE OF ELIGIBLE VICTIMS FILING CLAIMS WITH CVCB, 3) REVIEW PROGRAM COSTS, AND 4) COMPARE THE NEW YORK PROGRAM WITH THOSE IN OTHER STATES. THE AUDIT SHOWED THAT FROM 1971 THROUGH 1975, ALMOST 9,000 CLAIMS WERE RECEIVED BY CVCB. AWARDS WERE MADE TO 3,401 (38 PERCENT) OF THE CLAIMANTS. IN THIS FOUR-YEAR PERIOD THE AMOUNT OF TIME TO PROCESS CLAIMS INCREASED. THE NEW YORK CITY CLAIMANT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING AND FURNISHING CLAIMS DATA, BUT CVCB, UNTIL OCTOBER 1975, PROVIDED MUCH MORE INFORMATION-GATHERING ASSISTANCE TO UPSTATE CLAIMANTS. DURING 1974-75, 48 PERCENT OF THE UPSTATE AND 36 PERCENT OF THE NEW YORK CITY CLAIMANTS RECEIVED AWARDS. THE AUDIT ALSO SHOWED THAT OVER 90 PERCENT OF ALL VIOLENT CRIME VICTIMS WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR AN AWARD BECAUSE THEY WERE EITHER NOT ATTACKED OR DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. OF AN ESTIMATED 6,326 POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE VIOLENT CRIME VICTIMS IN NEW YORK CITY IN 1973, ONLY 1,289 OR 20 PRECENT ACTUALLY FILED CLAIMS WITH CVCB. THE AUDITORS STATE THAT THIS RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER MAY BE PARTIALLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO LIMITED PUBLICIZING OF THE PROGRAM. PROGRAM EXPENDITURES WENT FROM 1.5 MILLION IN DOLLARS IN 1971 TO 3.9 MILLION DOLLARS IN 1975 WHEN THE AVERAGE AWARD PAYMENT WAS 2,054 DOLLARS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...DMC