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VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT STATE COMPENSATION PROGRAM 2002 FLORIDA STATEWIDE COMPENSATION PROGRAM Prepared By: Florida Department of Legal Affairs PL-01 The Capitol Tallahassee, FL 32399-0000 tel: (850)414-3346
CLAIMS DATA
1. NUMBER OF NEW CLAIMS RECEIVED DURING REPORTING PERIOD a. Total claims, if only one claim is usually counted per crime: 15,132 OR b. Total claims, if victims and indirect victims generally count as separate items: 0 2. NUMBER OF CLAIMS APPROVED AS ELIGIBLE: 10,317 (a) Number of Victims 17 and Under 2,240 (b) Number approved for victims 18 - 64 7,452 (c) Number approved for victims 65 and Older 600 3. NUMBER OF FORENSIC SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMINATION CLAIMS RECEIVED DURING THE REPORT PERIOD. IF SUCH CLAIMS ARE HANDLED THROUGH SEPARATE CLAIMS PROCEDURE. (See Instructions) 4,892
PAYMENT STATISTICS BY CRIME CATEGORY:
a. b. c. TYPE OF CRIME NUMBER OF CLAIMS NUMBER OF DOMESTIC TOTAL AMOUNT PAID PAID DURING VIOLENCE RELATED BY CATEGORY REPORTING PERIOD CLAIMS PAID DURING Including all supple- Includes Column b REPORTING PERIOD mental payments
1. ASSAULT 5,677 1,968 10,993,010 2. HOMICIDE 633 0 3,415,198 3. SEXUAL ASSAULT 903 5 678,343 4. CHILD ABUSE (Including sexual & physical abuse) 625 386,145 5. DWI/DUI 287 1,667,338 6. 0THER VEHICULAR CRIMES 339 1,263,439 7. STALKING 40 33 37,547 8. ROBBERY 687 0 1,002,134 9. TERRORISM 0 0 10. KIDNAPPING 10 2 12,419 11. ARSON 3 3 1,500 12. OTHER 200 9 373,781 TOTAL 9,404 2,017 19,830,854
INDICATE TOTAL EXPENSES PAID BY SERVICE
1. MEDICAL/DENTAL (Except Mental Health) 6,932,374 2. MENTAL HEALTH 1,006,398 3. ECONOMIC SUPPORT (Lost Wages, Loss of Support) 7,523,777 4. FUNERAL/BURIAL (Including all Funeral Related Expenses 2,082,155 5. CRIME SCENE CLEAN-UP 0 6. FORENSIC SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMS 1,378,705 7. OTHER 2,413,720 8. TOTAL 21,337,129
Please respond to the following questions additional 8x11 sheets may be attached if necessary 1. DESCRIBE THE IMPACT THAT VOCA FUNDS HAVE HAD ON YOUR PROGRAM'S ABILITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF CRIME VICTIMS. Section III: Item 12 Other criminal mischief/vandalism, culpable negligence, invasion, minor child witness and other violent crimes. Section IV Crime Scene Clean-up included in "Other". Other Relocation expenses $2,163,409; Property loss $205,193; Other $45,118. Total (item 8) Please note that the difference between the totals in sections III and IV (payments by type of crime and payments by type of benifit) differ because the "type of crime" data is not a required field in the database. On the other hand, "type of benefit" is a required field, which means a payment cannot be made without being assigned to a specific benefit category. ===== VOCA continues to be a stabilizing factor in funding victim compensation benefits for crime victims. With expansion of benefit categories in the last couple of years, the amount paid to or on behalf of crime victims increased significantly, so much so that it was necessary to return to the Florida Legislature to increase spending authority in order to make payments to those persons determined eligible.2. HOW DO YOU MEASURE YOUR PROGRAM'S EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS IN REDUCING THE FINANCIAL IMPACTH OF CRIME ON VICTIMS? WHAT ARE THE RESULTS? There are several perspectives from which the Florida victim compensation program's efficiency and effectiveness in reducing the financial impact of crime on victims could be measured. One of those measures is a comparison of claim activities during this reporting period and the prior federal fiscal year. Effectiveness: FY 2001-2002 FY 2000-2001 Claims received (includes forensic exams) 20,024 20,201 Dollars paid $21,337,129 $28,007,823 Efficiency: Processing time from receipt to payment 5.3 weeks 10.8 weeks During FFY 2001-2002, the agency experienced a budgetary shortfall which mandated that internal measures be taken to maximize the available resources, while minimizing the adverse impact of victims. Payments to treatment providers previously paid at 66 percent were reduced to 33 percent as a cost containment initiative, resulting in a lower overall payout for the program. However, had payments continued at the 66 percent reate, the dollar paid would have totaled approximately $26.8 million, while the processing time was reduced from 10.8 weeks to 5.3 weeks. The reduction was implemented in December 2001 and continued throughout the balance of the reporting period. This office measures effectiveness and efficiency based on a review of workload and performance data. The effectiveness is evidenced by the increase in the number of claims received and dollars paid. An assessment of efficiency is a bit more complex and is predicated on observation of work flow and results. For example, upon receipt of a perfected claim, eligibility can be determined within a single workday. Verification of documentation/information needed to determine eligibility may be obtained by telephone, facsimile, or email. Once eligibility is determined, payment is authorized as soon as the benefit documentation (i.e., itemized bill, medical return to work note and employer proof of absence) is received. Theoretically, time spent waiting for documentation would not be counted in the claims processing time, since there is no agency action required and therefore would not reflect adversely on the agency's efficiency. Ideally, the agency would measure staff efficiency based only on factors over which the agency has control. However, consistent with previous VOCA definitions of claims processing time, an automated report measures processing times using system data to calculate the average number of weeks to process a claim and mail payment. This report is provided on a quarterly and year-to-date basis, with the reports being run immediately following the report period. During this report period, the average number of weeks to process a claim and mail payment for all claims was 5.3 weeks, approximately half the processing time noted in the prior federal fiscal year (110.8 weeks). This measure represents the time from the date of receipt of the initial application until the initial payment, which may vary up to three years, the time period during which benefits are payable. When this office receives the supporting documentation needed to determine payment amounts, the processing time is literally a matter of days. This is evidenced by the fact that there is no backlog in claims or supplemental bills awaiting payment. The value is in getting a completed claim at the inception, which enables staff to provide timely assistance thereby minimizing the financial impact of the crime on the victim.
3. DID YOUR STATE USE VOCA ADMINSTRATIVE FUNDS? NO IF YOUR STATE USED VOCA ADMINSTRATIVE FUNDS, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE IMPACT THESE FUNDS HAVE HAD ON YOUR STATE'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE COMPENSATION OR IMPROVE VICTIM SERVICES. Florida a did not use VOCA - victim compensation administrative funds during this report period.