Felons tap into fund for victims
Loopholes allow convicts to apply for state money
By Ruby Gonzales, Staff Writer
Almost every state has a fund to help victims of crime with medical, funeral and other expenses.
In California, anyone who is on felony probation, parole or serving time in prison or jail isn't eligible for the Victim Compensation Program. But the law doesn't technically ban those who have been convicted and served time.
One state that allows felons to apply has recently run into controversy.
The Baltimore Sun discovered that the Maryland Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund paid about $1.8 million since 2003 to 217 offenders in Baltimore. This group of beneficiaries included a gang member shot by another gang member and the f
amily of an inmate stabbed to death while in prison.
Now, a Maryland state senator has proposed an amendment that would ban felons from getting such aid.
Sen. James Brochin, a Democrat from Baltimore County, said his state's victim compensation fund is more lenient. He said he has no sympathies for serious felons dipping into a fund created to protect people who have been victimized.
He doesn't think anyone convicted of crimes such as murder, armed robbery, rape or a sex offense with a child should get a penny from the fund. His amendment will be voted on this week.
"I don't care if you did it 20 years ago. In my mind, the money should go to innocent victims," Brochin said.
The Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services at this moment isn't doing anything to review procedures, according to Mark Vernarelli, director of information for the department.
"That would be up to the Maryland legislators to change the law," he said.
Vernarelli said the board that approves the applications follows the law, "looks at each case very very carefully," and doesn't give money to anyone injured while committing a crime.
"The vast, vast majority of people that the board helped have been victims of crime," Vernarelli said.
In California, Los Angeles County turns in the most number of applications and gets a big chunk of the state compensation funds.
Miles Bristow, spokesman for the California Victims Compensation Claims Board, said of the 48,812 applications received in the last fiscal year, about 20 percent, or 9,703, came from Los Angeles County.
He said the state paid out about $75 million to victims of violent crime for fiscal year 2006-07. Los Angeles County received $25.9 million of that.
Aida Sherow, assistant program administrator for the county, said they get everybody applying for the program. She doesn't know how many applications her office receives.
She said felons have applied. But it doesn't mean these applicants are eligible or even get approved.
"Knowing policy, anyone incarcerated or on probation or parole when applying their case will not be approved," Sherow said.
California's Victim Compensation Program has paid more than $1.7 billion to victims since it started in 1965. Most of its funding comes from fines and fees paid by offenders.
Applicants must be the victim of a crime involving physical injury, threat of such injury or death.
Loopholes allow convicts to apply for state money
By Ruby Gonzales, Staff Writer
Almost every state has a fund to help victims of crime with medical, funeral and other expenses.
In California, anyone who is on felony probation, parole or serving time in prison or jail isn't eligible for the Victim Compensation Program. But the law doesn't technically ban those who have been convicted and served time.
One state that allows felons to apply has recently run into controversy.
The Baltimore Sun discovered that the Maryland Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund paid about $1.8 million since 2003 to 217 offenders in Baltimore. This group of beneficiaries included a gang member shot by another gang member and the f
amily of an inmate stabbed to death while in prison.Now, a Maryland state senator has proposed an amendment that would ban felons from getting such aid.
Sen. James Brochin, a Democrat from Baltimore County, said his state's victim compensation fund is more lenient. He said he has no sympathies for serious felons dipping into a fund created to protect people who have been victimized.
He doesn't think anyone convicted of crimes such as murder, armed robbery, rape or a sex offense with a child should get a penny from the fund. His amendment will be voted on this week.
"I don't care if you did it 20 years ago. In my mind, the money should go to innocent victims," Brochin said.
The Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services at this moment isn't doing anything to review procedures, according to Mark Vernarelli, director of information for the department.
"That would be up to the Maryland legislators to change the law," he said.
Vernarelli said the board that approves the applications follows the law, "looks at each case very very carefully," and doesn't give money to anyone injured while committing a crime.
"The vast, vast majority of people that the board helped have been victims of crime," Vernarelli said.
In California, Los Angeles County turns in the most number of applications and gets a big chunk of the state compensation funds.
Miles Bristow, spokesman for the California Victims Compensation Claims Board, said of the 48,812 applications received in the last fiscal year, about 20 percent, or 9,703, came from Los Angeles County.
He said the state paid out about $75 million to victims of violent crime for fiscal year 2006-07. Los Angeles County received $25.9 million of that.
Aida Sherow, assistant program administrator for the county, said they get everybody applying for the program. She doesn't know how many applications her office receives.
She said felons have applied. But it doesn't mean these applicants are eligible or even get approved.
"Knowing policy, anyone incarcerated or on probation or parole when applying their case will not be approved," Sherow said.
California's Victim Compensation Program has paid more than $1.7 billion to victims since it started in 1965. Most of its funding comes from fines and fees paid by offenders.
Applicants must be the victim of a crime involving physical injury, threat of such injury or death.
With state income taxes in Maryland and California as high as 6% and 9% respectfully, their happy taxpaying citizens must be delighted to read these reports..... When does the madness rise to the point where the citizens say ENOUGH!!!!
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