The Crime Victims Fund

The Crime Victims Fund (the Fund) was established by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984. OVC is charged by Congress with administering the Fund, a major source for funding victim services throughout the Nation. The Fund primarily comprises fines, special assessments, and bond forfeitures from convicted federal offenders, making it a self-sufficient source of support that does not rely on Americans' tax dollars. The Fund supports thousands of programs annually that represent millions of dollars invested in direct services to victims. Although services vary by location and need, the common element is that these services provide effective support to those who have suffered physical, emotional, and financial harm as the result of a crime.

Record-Breaking Deposits to the Fund in 2011–12

The FYs 2011 and 2012 reporting period saw the largest total deposits in the history of the Fund. Almost $2.8 billion ($2,795,547,045) was deposited into the Fund in FY 2012, making it the highest total recorded since the Fund became operational in 1985. Coupled with nearly $2 billion ($1,998,220,205) in deposits in FY 2011, the Fund took in nearly $4.8 billion ($4,793,767,250) during the reporting period to support victims of crime. With major fines and penalties continuing to be levied, particularly against corporate violators of federal law, the Fund's deposit totals are expected to remain high for some time.

Primary Sources of Revenue

Federal revenues deposited into the Fund come from the following sources:

Exhibit 1

Click to view Exhibit 1.

Exhibit 2

Click to view Exhibit 2.

• Criminal fines, with exceptions for funds related to certain environmental, railroad, unemployment insurance, and postal service violations.
• Forfeited appearance bonds.
• Special forfeitures of collateral profits from crime.
• Special assessments that range from $25 for individuals convicted of misdemeanors to $400 for corporations convicted of felonies.
• Gifts, donations, and bequests by private parties, as provided for by the USA PATRIOT Act, which was passed in 2001 and went into effect in 2002. In addition to providing authority for the deposit of gifts, bequests, and donations from private entities, the Act authorizes the transfer of emergency supplemental funding into the Emergency Reserve account to assist victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Annual Cap, Allocation Process Determine Available Funds

Starting in 2000, in response to large fluctuations in deposits, Congress placed a cap on funds available for distribution, which was intended to maintain the Fund as a stable source of support for future services. The caps for FYs 2011 and 2012 were set at $705 million, as legislation was introduced to gradually increase the amount of funds available through 2014.

For more detailed information about VOCA compensation and assistance, including the allocation process established by Congress, please refer to the Crime Victims Fund. State-by-state allocations for VOCA Compensation and Assistance for 2011 and 2012 are available on OVC's Web site.