Who is Eligible?
For those who are victims of crime in Alaska, limited funding may be available to assist with crime-related expenses such as loss of wages, medical expenses, mental health counseling, as well as funeral and burial costs.
In order to qualify for compensation you must submit an application and have incurred a loss as a direct result of a violent crime.
Eligibility Questions
The Violent Crimes Compensation Board (VCCB) uses information from a number of resources to determine eligibility including but not limited to: police reports, charging documents, medical records and information from the applicant. The following checklist can be used as a quick reference for determining eligibility. There may be exceptions to these requirements. Please contact our office if you have any questions.
- Did the crime occur in Alaska? (YES)
- Was the victimization an eligible crime type? (YES)
- Did the victim report the crime to law enforcement? (YES)
- Did the victim cooperate/is the victim cooperating with law enforcement, prosecution and the VCCB? (YES)
- Did the crime occur within the last two years? (YES)
- Did the victim’s behavior contribute to the crime? (NO)
- Were the victim’s expenses incurred as a direct result of the crime? (YES)
Which crimes are compensable?
The following crimes are compensable:
- Murder
- Manslaughter
- Criminally negligent homicide
- Assault
- Kidnapping
- Sexual assault
- Sexual abuse of a minor
- Robbery
- Threats to do bodily harm
- Driving under the influence
- Arson in the 1st degree (personal injury only)
- Federal crimes e.g. trafficking
- Sex trafficking
- Human trafficking
- Unlawful exploitation of a minor
Please note, a protective or restraining order is a civil matter and will not, by itself, establish you as being eligible for this program. However, an award can be made whether or not a person is prosecuted or convicted of one of the crimes listed.
Contributory conduct
Board awards are discretionary. By statute, the Board shall consider all relevant circumstances under which the crime occurred. This may include provocation by the victim, consent or any other behavior of the victim that directly or indirectly contributed to the victim’s injury or death.
Note: this is subject to the “reasonable person “test – i.e. a reasonable person would or should have known that his or her behavior could lead to their victimization. For example, the Board may deny a claim where the evidence shows that the crime and victimization was directly linked to the manufacture, selling or purchase of illegal drugs.