Crime Victim Assistance

Being an innocent victim of violence is a traumatic event in your life, and is one that no one is prepared for. In addition to the physical pain inflicted upon you by the criminal, you as well as your family may experience confusion, frustration, and heartache, not to mention having to deal with the financial aftermath. The Nolan County Sheriff's Office would like to help you prevail over the trauma of victimization by providing you with the following information, assistance, and support.

Crime Victim Compensation Program

The Crime Victim Compensation Program is administered by the Office of the Attorney General and is dedicated to ensuring victims receive every possible assistance. The Crime Victims Compensation Program is a financial assistance program that helps eligible victims of crime with certain expenses related to the crime. Money for this program comes from court costs that are paid by criminals and deposited by each Texas County into the Crime Victims Compensation Fund. It is a "payer of last resort" after primary sources of payment such as health insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, auto insurance or Texas Workers' Compensation have been exhausted.

The Crime Victims Compensation Program will assist victims of domestic or family violence in applying for and obtaining benefits from Crime Victim Compensation, will send the claim form and required documentation to Crime Victim Compensation, and will notify service providers that a claim has been applied for and is pending.

Victims of domestic or family violence are eligible to have electric and telephone service deposit waived. To qualify, the deposit waiver certification letter must be filled out by family violence center personnel, treating medical personnel, law enforcement personnel, a Texas District Attorney or County Attorney, Office of the Attorney General personnel, or a grantee of the Texas Equal Access to Justice Foundation. The letter must be submitted directly to the Retail Electric Provider using the REP's toll-free FAX number.

A deposit waiver certification letter can be obtained here is English or Spanish.

Victims of domestic or family violence may also receive one-time-only assistance with rental and relocation expenses.

What Crimes Are Covered?

Crimes covered by Crime Victims Compensation are those in which the victim suffers substantial threat of physical or emotional harm or death. These may include sexual assault, kidnapping, robbery, assault, homicide and other violent crimes.

Vehicular crimes that are covered include failure to stop and render aid, DWI, manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, aggravated assault, intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault.

Crime Victims Compensation may be available to pay the amount of expenses reasonably and necessarily incurred for:

Hospitals, doctors, dentists, surgical, prescriptions, optometry, chiropractic, crutches, artificial appliances, eye glasses or dental devices that are broken, physical therapy, up to $25,000.00.
Psychiatric / psychological care counseling, up to $3,000.00.
Loss of earning because of a disability resulting from the personal injury, not to exceed $200.00 per week.
Child care for minor children, at a rate not to exceed $125.00 per week for any number of children, so that the victim or spouse can work.
Funeral and burial expenses not to exceed $4,500.00.
Emergency funds not to exceed $1,500.00 in order to qualify for the Crime Victim Compensation Program:

The crime must be reported to law enforcement within 72 hours of the commission of the crime unless there justified extraordinary circumstances;

Claim must be filed within one year unless good cause can be shown as to why the claim wasn't filed;

The victim must be cooperating with law enforcement and prosecution efforts;

The victim must be the innocent victim of a violent crime;

Please let the Victim Assistance Program assist you in obtaining these benefits.

For more information about the Crime Victims Compensation Program, call 325.235.2338 or download a copy of the Crime Victims Assistance Application here in English or Spanish.