PAYBACK: MISSOURI CRIME VICTIMS COMPENSATED $6,147,000

Missouri crime victims received more than $6 million through the state's Crime Victims' Compensation program in fiscal 1997.

The payments were the highest ever from the program since the state began compensating crime victims in 1983.

More than 1,400 crime victims received, on average, $4,311 to help cover various expenses, ranging from funeral costs to medical bills.

The program is administered by the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

Victims have to apply for funding. "This year, we did see about a 30 to 35 percent increase in applications," said Sandy Wright, who manages the program.

She said that reflects the fact that more Missourians are aware of the program. "I think the word is getting out," she said.

Wright said there were fewer applications to victims' compensation programs nationwide in 1995 and 1996 fiscal years because reported crimes were down overall.

In fiscal 1996, it took an average of 254 days to process a claim. In the 1997 fiscal year, the average was 142 days. Wright said those figures include holidays and weekends.

Wright and her staff have worked to speed up the claims process.

Wright said a larger staff has helped. "When I took over as program manager in 1994, I had two full-time employees and myself to run the entire program."

Today, the program operates with nine staff members. "We are up to speed," she said.

As of late November, they had processed all but 15 of the fiscal 1997 cases, Wright said.

The state received 1,546 applications for assistance in the past fiscal year and awarded payments in 1,426 of those cases.

Crime victims can receive a maximum of $15,000 for crimes that occurred since Aug. 28, 1995.

The program will pay a maximum of $5,000 for funeral expenses, $2,500 for psychological counseling and $200 a week for lost wages or support.

All payments are subject to a $50 deductible unless the claimant is 65 years of age or older.

The program is designed to assist victims of violent crimes such as assault and rape, and the families of murder victims.

The program doesn't compensate people for crime-related damage to property or possessions.

All claims must include the original bills for expenses and police reports on the crimes.

"We do a very thorough investigation," said Wright. "We verify every bill that comes through the office."

Victims aren't eligible for the money if they have had two felony convictions in the past 10 years, with at least one of those convictions involving illegal drugs or violence.

Crime victims can be eligible for money even if the case never goes to court.

Checks are mailed directly to the hospitals and others who provided services in a particular case.

Checks for lost wages or loss of support are mailed directly to the claimant or the claimant's attorney.

Bettie Knoll, crime victims' advocate with the Cape Girardeau Police Department, said the compensation program is geared for low-income victims.

The state deducts any insurance benefits and restitution in calculating claims, she said.

Knoll wants the compensation limits raised above the current $15,000 cap. "It costs more than $5,000 to bury someone," she said.

In fiscal 1997, more than half of the total awards or nearly $3.7 million went to assault victims.

"Assaults are the ones that are eating up the program," said Knoll, who helps Cape Girardeau County victims apply for compensation.

A typical assault case involves a bar fight, she said.

The program is funded by the federal government, court fees and fines paid by defendants, and some private donations.

The program receives a federal grant each year amounting to 40 percent of what the program paid to crime victims the previous fiscal year.

Revenue from fees and fines totaled more than $1.8 million last fiscal year. Federal funding amounted to another $1.5 million.

The revenue mix also includes reimbursements from restitution, interest income and damages awarded in civil suits, Wright said.

"We usually get back about half of what we pay out," she said.

For the state, the revenue payback comes in the amount of federal funding it receives the next year.

The $6.1 million it paid out this past fiscal year will generate federal funding of $2.5 million for the current year that ends next June.

"Actually, I think we are doing very well with the money we take in each year," Wright said.