Crime Victims Fund
The Crime Victims Fund (the Fund), established by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, supports services for victims of crime throughout the Nation. OVC is charged by Congress with administering the Fund, which is composed primarily of fines, special assessments, and bond forfeitures from convicted federal offenders, making it a self-sufficient source of compensation and assistance that does not rely on Americans’ tax dollars. The Fund supports thousands of programs annually with millions of dollars invested in services provided directly to crime victims. These programs provide compensation and assistance to those who have suffered physical, emotional, and financial harm from victimization.
Main Sources of Revenue
Deposits into the Fund consist of—
- criminal fines from convicted federal offenders, with exceptions for funds related to certain environmental, railroad, unemployment insurance, and postal service violations;
- forfeited appearance bonds from convicted federal offenders;
- special forfeitures of collateral profits from crime;
- special assessments for individuals and corporations convicted of federal crimes; and
- gifts, donations, and bequests by private parties.
FYs 2019 and 2020 Fund Deposits
During FYs 2019 and 2020, the Fund received more than $998 million to support victims of crime (see exhibit 1 for breakdown). This represented a sharp decline considering an average of $2.219 billion in deposits over the past 10 years, with the largest deposit in the Fund’s history taking place in FY 2017 of $6.58 billion. (See exhibit 2, illustrating the Fund’s deposits and disbursements since 2001.)
Appropriation Cap and Allocation Process Determine Available Funds
Beginning in 2000, in response to large fluctuations in deposits, Congress placed an obligation limit on funds available for distribution. This limit, also known as the appropriation cap, ensures that the Fund remains a stable source of support for future services. In FYs 2019 and 2020, the appropriation caps were set at $3.353 billion and $2.641 billion, respectively.
For more information about VOCA compensation and assistance, including the allocation process established by Congress, see the Crime Victims Fund.
State-by-state allocations for VOCA compensation and assistance for 2019 and 2020 are available on the OVC website.