Office of the Attorney General (Department of Legal Affairs)

Victim Services

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What is the purpose of the program?

The Division of Victim Services serves as an advocate for crime victims and administers a compensation program to ensure financial assistance for innocent victims of crime. The division is composed of three bureaus.

What services are available to crime victims?

The Florida Constitution states that victims of crime shall have specific rights related to the criminal proceedings for the case for which they have been identified as the victim, including the rights to

notification of all public proceedings related to their crime, including post-conviction procedures;
be heard at pubic proceedings for pretrial release, plea, sentencing, or other adjudicatory proceedings;
confer with prosecutors concerning case outcomes;
make victim impact statements; be provided copies of presentencing reports;
receive notification of release or escape of an offender from custody;
receive notification of clemency or expungement procedures, prompt return of property no longer needed as evidence;
timely restitution payments; and
proceedings free from unreasonable delay and to the prompt final conclusion of the cases and any related to postjudgement proceedings.

Injured crime victims may also be eligible for financial assistance for medical care, lost income, mental health services, funeral expenses, and other out-of-pocket expenses directly related to the injury or victimization. An Application for Victim Compensation Form can be obtained online.

The Bureau of Victim Compensation also maintains a Victim Services Directory of service providers by judicial circuit.

What is the Crimes Compensation Trust Fund?

The Crimes Compensation Trust Fund is used to pay for victim compensation claims and to support the operation of the Division of Victim Services. Funding is derived from moneys recovered on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General by subrogation or other action, recovered through court ordered restitution and additional court costs, received from the Federal Government, received from fines, or received from other public or private sources.

What does the Bureau of Advocacy and Grants Management do?

The Bureau of Advocacy and Grants Management provides regional victim advocacy and appellate notification to victims of crime, provides crisis response training and coordination, and administers the address confidentiality program and federal Victims of Crime Act assistance grants.

What additional services are provided by the program?

The Bureau of Criminal Justice Programs provides statewide public education and training programs for law enforcement personnel, school resource officers, victim advocates, and other interested persons on crime prevention initiatives, school-based officer programs, victim advocacy, and related criminal justice areas. This is done primarily through the Florida Crime Prevention Training Institute.

The Bureau of Criminal Justice Programs also administers the Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys. The mission of the Council is to research and propose measures that improve conditions affecting black men and boys. The council's annual report is available on its website.

How is the program performing?

The Division of Victim Services provides an annual report of activities on their website as required by s. 960.045(1)(c), Florida Statutes. In Fiscal Year 2020-21, the office received 17,434 claims for financial assistance to victims, with an average processing time from receipt of a claim through initial payment of 26 days. The awards to claimants in Fiscal Year 2020-21 totaled approximately $15 million.

How are these activities funded?

Fiscal Year: 2022-23

	Fund	Salary Rate/ Position	General Revenue	Trust Funds
SALARY RATE		5,730,233
POSITIONS		124.00
SALARIES AND BENEFITS
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			557,520
	FROM CRIMES COMPENSATION TRUST FUND			5,354,994
	FROM CRIME STOPPERS TRUST FUND			288,716
	FROM FEDERAL GRANTS TRUST FUND			3,273,438
	FROM FLORIDA CRIME PREVENTION TRAINING INSTITUTE REVOLVING TRUST FUND			412,256
OTHER PERSONAL SERVICES
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			91,176
	FROM CRIMES COMPENSATION TRUST FUND			78,401
	FROM CRIME STOPPERS TRUST FUND			71,237
	FROM FLORIDA CRIME PREVENTION TRAINING INSTITUTE REVOLVING TRUST FUND			1,049
EXPENSES
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			196,881
	FROM CRIMES COMPENSATION TRUST FUND			982,792
	FROM CRIME STOPPERS TRUST FUND			41,100
	FROM FEDERAL GRANTS TRUST FUND			50,000
	FROM FLORIDA CRIME PREVENTION TRAINING INSTITUTE REVOLVING TRUST FUND			228,373
OPERATING CAPITAL OUTLAY
	FROM CRIMES COMPENSATION TRUST FUND			123,407
	FROM CRIME STOPPERS TRUST FUND			2,380
	FROM FEDERAL GRANTS TRUST FUND			9,086
	FROM FLORIDA CRIME PREVENTION TRAINING INSTITUTE REVOLVING TRUST FUND			8,795
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
AWARDS TO CLAIMANTS
	FROM CRIMES COMPENSATION TRUST FUND			16,000,000
	FROM FEDERAL GRANTS TRUST FUND			9,593,200
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
VICTIM SERVICES
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			700,000
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
GRANTS AND AIDS - CHILD ADVOCACY CENTERS
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			5,693,240
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
CONTRACTED SERVICES
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			3,436,000
	FROM CRIMES COMPENSATION TRUST FUND			45,243
	FROM CRIME STOPPERS TRUST FUND			1,000
	FROM FEDERAL GRANTS TRUST FUND			100,000
	FROM FLORIDA CRIME PREVENTION TRAINING INSTITUTE REVOLVING TRUST FUND			207,308
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
GRANTS AND AIDS - SPECIAL PROJECTS
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			6,491,000
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
GRANTS AND AIDS - MINORITY COMMUNITIES CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			5,079,247
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
GRANTS AND AIDS - CRIME STOPPERS
	FROM CRIME STOPPERS TRUST FUND			4,400,000
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
GRANTS AND AIDS - JUSTICE COALITION
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			150,000
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
RISK MANAGEMENT INSURANCE
	FROM CRIMES COMPENSATION TRUST FUND			28,198
	FROM CRIME STOPPERS TRUST FUND			912
	FROM FLORIDA CRIME PREVENTION TRAINING INSTITUTE REVOLVING TRUST FUND			833
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
GRANTS AND AIDS - VICTIM ASSISTANCE SERVICES
	FROM FEDERAL GRANTS TRUST FUND			144,025,280
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
TRANSFER TO DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES - HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICES PURCHASED PER STATEWIDE CONTRACT
FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND			557
	FROM CRIMES COMPENSATION TRUST FUND			39,345
	FROM CRIME STOPPERS TRUST FUND			549
	FROM FLORIDA CRIME PREVENTION TRAINING INSTITUTE REVOLVING TRUST FUND			1,724
TOTAL			22,395,621	185,369,616

Source: www.transparencyflorida.gov

Where can I find related OPPAGA reports?

A complete list of related OPPAGA reports is available on our website.

Where can I get more information?

Other Reports
Division of Victim Services and Criminal Justice Programs Annual Report 2020-2021, Office of Attorney General.
Florida Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Annual Report, 2021

The Auditor General reports on department operations are available on its website.

Websites of Interest
Office of the Attorney General, Addresses and Phone Numbers
U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime (Florida Resources)
The National Center for Victims of Crime
National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards

Performance Information

Performance measures and standards for the department may be found in its Long Range Program Plan.

What are the applicable statutes?

Article I, Section 16, Constitution of the State of Florida, and Ch. 960 and ss. 402.181, 938.03, 938.04, Florida Statutes.

Whom do I contact for help?

Office of Attorney General, 850-414-3300, 850-414-3990 (Citizens Services), or 1-800-226-6667 (Victim Information and Referral Line)

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