Victim Assistance Program

What is the Crime Victim's Compensation Program?

  • The Crime Victims’ Compensation Program may help victims of violent crime with related expenses that cannot be reimbursed by insurance or other sources.
  • The fees paid by those convicted of crimes fund the Crime Compensation Fund.
  • The program is administered by the Office of the Attorney General and governed by the Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation Act (Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 56). 

 

What are the eligibility requirements?

  • The victim must be:
    • A resident of Texas; or
    • A United States resident who was victimized in Texas; or
    • A Texas resident who was victimized in another state or country; or
    • Certain other individuals.
  • The crime must be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agency in a reasonable amount of time.
  • The victim must cooperate with the investigation and prosecution of the case.
  • Must be a victim of a violent crime who suffers physical or mental harm as a result of the crime.

 

Additional information about Crime Victims’ Compensation Program:

Visit the Texas Attorney General's website for a list of qualified and non-qualified expenses that may be covered and additional information about the Crime Victims’ Compensation Program.

Click here to download the Crime Victims’ Compensation Application.

Complete and sign the form. You may mail the form directly to the Attorney General’s Office in Austin at:

Office of the Attorney General
Crime Victims’ Compensation Program (011)
P.O. Box 12198
Austin, Texas 78711-2198

Or, you may mail or deliver the form to the Addison Police Department, Criminal Investigation Division. Please address any mail to the investigator working with you on your case. We can only process forms for victims in Addison at this time.

Addison Police Department
Criminal Investigations Division
C/O (Investigator’s Name)
4799 Airport Parkway
Addison, Texas 75001

At this time, the application cannot be submitted online.

 

Victim's Rights

 

Who Is Considered a Victim for Victim Rights Laws?
(Chapter 56 of the Code of Criminal Procedure)

  • A victim is considered a person who is a victim of a violent criminal offense. Violent offenses are considered sexual assault, kidnapping, aggravated robbery, trafficking of persons, or injury to a child, elderly individual, or disabled person, or someone who has suffered personal injury or death because of the criminal conduct of another.
  • The legal guardian for the victim. The legal guardian relationship does not matter if the relationship is based on age or due to mental or physical reasons.
  • The close relative of the deceased victim (spouse, child, parent, sibling).

 

What Rights do Victims Have?
(Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 56)

  • Receive adequate protection from harm and threats of harm arising from cooperation with prosecution efforts;
  • Have their safety considered by the magistrate when setting bail;
  • Receive information, on request, of relevant court proceedings, including appellate proceedings, of cancellations and rescheduling prior to the event, and appellate court decisions after the decisions are entered but before they are made public;
  • When requested, be informed by a peace officer about the defendant’s right to bail and criminal investigation procedures. From the prosecutor’s office, be informed about general procedures in the criminal justice system, including plea agreements, restitution, appeals, and parole;
  • Provide pertinent information to the probation department conducting the presentencing investigation concerning the impact of the crime on the victim and/or the victim’s family;
  • Receive information about the Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund and payment for a medical examination for a victim of sexual assault, and, on request, referral to social service agencies that provide additional assistance;
  • Be informed, on request, about parole procedures; notification of parole proceedings and of the inmate’s release; and the opportunity to participate in the parole process by submitting written information to the Board of Pardons and Paroles for inclusion in the defendant’s file for consideration by the Board prior to parole;
  • A separate or secure waiting area at all public court proceedings;
  • Prompt return of any property that is no longer needed as evidence;
  • Have the prosecutor notify, upon request, an employer that the need for the victim’s testimony may involve the victim’s absence from work;
  • On request, counseling and testing regarding AIDS and HIV infection for victims of sexual assault;
  • Request victim-offender mediation coordinated by the Victim Services Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice;
  • Be informed of the use and purpose of a victim impact statement, to complete a victim impact statement and to have the statement considered before sentencing and acceptance of a plea bargain and before an inmate is released on parole.

There is no liability for failure or inability to provide one of the above rights.

 

Additional Information:

 

There are other unfortunate circumstances where you may have your life altered by a criminal. Whether it was your car being burglarized, you had your purse stolen, or your identity was compromised, our officers and investigators are here to answer any questions you may have, and we will work diligently to solve these crimes.  You are still a victim and reporting these offenses is vital to removing the offenders from your streets.