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VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT STATE COMPENSATION PROGRAM 2002 PUERTO RICO STATEWIDE COMPENSATION PROGRAM Prepared By: Puerto Rico Department of Justice PO Box 9020192 San Juan, PR 00902-0192 tel: (787)721-7700
CLAIMS DATA
1. NUMBER OF NEW CLAIMS RECEIVED DURING REPORTING PERIOD a. Total claims, if only one claim is usually counted per crime: 583 OR b. Total claims, if victims and indirect victims generally count as separate items: 0 2. NUMBER OF CLAIMS APPROVED AS ELIGIBLE: 252 (a) Number of Victims 17 and Under 61 (b) Number approved for victims 18 - 64 153 (c) Number approved for victims 65 and Older 38 3. NUMBER OF FORENSIC SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMINATION CLAIMS RECEIVED DURING THE REPORT PERIOD. IF SUCH CLAIMS ARE HANDLED THROUGH SEPARATE CLAIMS PROCEDURE. (See Instructions) 0
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 47 47 38,189 2. HOMICIDE 4 0 3,145 3. SEXUAL ASSAULT 6 0 1,207 4. CHILD ABUSE (Including sexual & physical abuse) 14 11,073 5. DWI/DUI 0 0 6. 0THER VEHICULAR CRIMES 1 300 7. STALKING 0 0 0 8. ROBBERY 0 0 0 9. TERRORISM 0 0 10. KIDNAPPING 1 0 585 11. ARSON 0 0 0 12. OTHER 179 0 183,981 TOTAL 252 47 238,480
INDICATE TOTAL EXPENSES PAID BY SERVICE
1. MEDICAL/DENTAL (Except Mental Health) 30,045 2. MENTAL HEALTH 11,238 3. ECONOMIC SUPPORT (Lost Wages, Loss of Support) 53,596 4. FUNERAL/BURIAL (Including all Funeral Related Expenses 142,132 5. CRIME SCENE CLEAN-UP 0 6. FORENSIC SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMS 0 7. OTHER 1,478 8. TOTAL 238,489
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. Since our grant is recent, its impact will be seen next year when the P.R. Legislature approves our law amendments to increase victims benefits.2. HOW DO YOU MEASURE YOUR PROGRAM'S EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS IN REDUCING THE FINANCIAL IMPACTH OF CRIME ON VICTIMS? WHAT ARE THE RESULTS? To measure our program effectiveness in reducing the financial impact on crime victims, we send every claimant/victim an evaluation form which is returned by mail by the claimant in most cases. The average processing time is about one to three months in murder cases, but this time will depend on the celerity with which the claimant sends the documents, receipts and bills to our office so we can work it and investigate the claim. Next fiscal year we will be automating our claims system and this information will be more acurate. We subscribe a contract with GENOA Group to adapt the claim processing software to our needs.
3. DID YOUR STATE USE VOCA ADMINSTRATIVE FUNDS? YES 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. We have been using adminstrative funds in promotional activities that have increase(d) victims awareness of our services and claims. Our claims have increased from 275 claims in 2000/01 up to 497 furing 2001/2.