A national crime victim advocacy group is calling for major reforms to the victim compensation program, saying too many survivors are left without the financial support they desperately need.
Call for changes to victims' compensation - National group says crime victims needs more support) - A national crime victim advocacy group is calling for major reforms to the victim compensation program, saying too many survivors are left without the financial support they desperately need.
Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice launched its national campaign, starting in Birmingham, to raise awareness about victim compensation, a federally funded program designed to help victims of violent crime cover medical expenses, funeral costs, counseling, and other unexpected financial burdens. But advocates say access to those funds is often tangled in red tape. The group says only 4% of violent crime survivors even know the program exists, and those who do often face long wait times, excessive paperwork, and even victim-blaming that can result in their claims being denied. During the event, survivors shared firsthand experiences of dealing with the program’s complex system. Sherree Kennon, founder of What About Us, has worked closely with victims to help them navigate the process. After the Five Points South mass shooting in Birmingham, she says her nonprofit assisted dozens of victims in filing claims—yet some are still waiting for assistance. “Even with the Hush shooting, we did 22 of those applications right here at this office. So things like that need to be told. These families are still suffering, they’re still hurting. Some of them still haven’t even received counseling. They’re still getting doctor bills for one. We want to see the homicide rate go down and continue to go down, but what about these families that really have been impacted by it?” Kennon said. One person shared a heartbreaking story about having to wait three months to bury a murdered loved one because the funeral home wouldn’t move forward until victim compensation funds were paid out. In the end, the money never came. Advocates say crime victims have one year from the time of the incident to apply for victim compensation, but many don’t know about the program until it’s too late. Others struggle with lengthy delays or are denied funding based on law enforcement reports. “Often, law enforcement deems someone was a part of a gang, right? And being associated with a gang—if it’s written on that police report or the compensation office reviewing that police report—it could say that you contributed to your own victimization,” said Aswad Thomas, national director of Crime Survivors for Safety and Justice. “But there is no way to prove a fact that someone was involved in a gang just because they were living in this neighborhood or this street as well.” Kennon says her organization is helping victims through the application process and encourages those in need to reach out for assistance.
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