Crime Victim Liaison
The Crime Victim Liaison exists to support victims of crime as well as ensuring family members are afforded the right granted victims, guardians or close relatives of deceased victims by subdivision (4), (6), and (9) of Article 56.02 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.
Contact:
Crime Victim Liaison: Dulce Villalobos
Office hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Office Phone: (956) 581-3345
Email: cvadvocate@cityofpenitaspd.net
The Texas Crime Victim Compensation Program
The Crime Victims’ Compensation Program is administered by the Office of the Attorney General and is dedicated to ensuring that crime victims receive every possible form of assistance provided by law. The Crime Victims’ Compensation Program is available after primary source of payment- such as health insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, auto insurance or Texas Workers’ Compensation- have been exhausted. If the court orders the offender to pay restitution to the victim for an expense that Crime Victims’ Compensation has already paid the victim may be required to reimburse the Fund. If the victim or claimant recovered money through the settlement of a civil suit against the offender or a third party, he or she may also have to reimburse the fund.
What Crimes are Covered?
Crimes covered by the Crime Victims’ Compensation are those in which the victim suffer substantial threat of physical or emotional harm or death. These may include Domestic Violence, Assault, Sexual Assault, Kidnapping, Robbery, Human Trafficking, Homicide, or other violent crimes.
Vehicular crimes that area covered include failure to stop and render air, Manslaughter, Criminally negligent Homicide, Aggravated Assault, Intoxication Manslaughter, and Intoxication Assault.
Crime Victims’ Compensation may be available to pay the amount of expenses reasonably and necessarily incurred for:
1. Medical, hospital, physical therapy or nursing care.
2. Psychiatric care or counseling.
3. One – time relocation assistance for victims who are assaulted in the victims’ place of residence, including victims of family violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking.
4. Loss of earning support.
5. Loss of wages and travel reimbursement due to participation in or attendance at the investigation, prosecutorial and judicial process.
6. Care of a child or dependent.
7. Funeral and burial expenses.
8. Crime scene clean up.
9. Replacement costs for clothing, bedding or other property seized as evidence or rendered unusable as the result of the investigation.
10. Attorney fees for assistance in filing the Crime Victims’ Compensation application and obtaining benefits if the claim is approved.
11. Loss of wages and travel to seek medical treatment or counseling.
· Additional benefits for victims who have suffered an extraordinary pecuniary loss available.
Who is Eligible?
To qualify for Crime Victims’ Compensation:
1. Report the crime to law enforcement agency within a reasonable period of time, but not so late as to interfere with or hamper the investigation and prosecution of the crime.
2. File the application within three (3) years of the date of the crime.
3. The victim must cooperate with law enforcement and prosecution efforts.
4. The victim must be an innocent victim of a crime who suffers a substantial threat of physical or emotional harm.
More Information
For more information about the Crime Victim Compensation Program or to obtain an application, please contact our Crime Victim Liaison, Dulce Villalobos at (956) 581-3345.