Violent crime victims in New York struggle to access funds due to them
A vicious attack left Meghan Van Alystyne with extensive injuries and brain trauma. She gave up on navigating the Office of Victim Services’ bureaucracy — and she’s not alone.
This article was originally published on by THE CITY.
A state fund designed to financially support victims of violent crimes in New York has distributed money to only a small fraction of those eligible, a new report has found.
The New York City-based nonprofit Common Justice, which works to promote alternatives to incarceration and helps to support victims of crimes, determined that during the 2018-2019 fiscal year, the state Office of Victim Services (OVS) awarded just 6,140 compensation claims, covering a small fraction of all violent crimes. In 2019, nearly 70,000 violent crimes were reported in New York State.