General Program Information

We are sorry that you or your family were hurt because of a crime. While no amount of money can erase the impact of a violent crime, Crime Victim Compensation (CVC) provides up to $30,000 in reimbursement for expenses related to violent crime, including:

    ● Medical, dental, and counseling expenses;
    ● funeral and related expenses;
    ● crime scene cleaning;
    ● loss of earnings;
    ● and other expenses.

The CVC Program can help pay bills from a crime even when the person who did the crime was not arrested or found guilty at trial. The CVC program is the payor of last resort. This means that you may have to use private or public insurance to pay a bill before CVC can pay a bill. Each CVC Program can make a different decision about payor of last resort on a case by case basis.

There are 22 CVC programs in Colorado. There is one CVC program in each judicial district. Each CVC program only takes care of the applications for crimes that happened in their judicial district. A judicial district can have one or many counties. To see a map of Colorado judicial districts click here.

To see a list of CVC programs and how to contact them, click here for district contact information.

More information about the program can be found in the “Frequently Asked Questions” section below.

Who Can Get Help from CVC?

CVC Program may be able to help if:

  • You or your family are the victim of a crime that happened in Colorado; OR
  • You or your family live in Colorado and are hurt because of a crime that happened in a state or country that does not have a CVC program.

To receive help the following must be met:

  • The crime happened on or after July 1, 1982.
  • The victim cooperated with the police and prosecution.
  • The police were told within 72 hours after the crime happened.
  • The victim was physically or emotionally injured, or died as a result of the crime.
  • The victim had damage to the outside locks, windows or doors of their home as a result of the crime.
  • The victim needs re-keying of car to make the victim safe.
  • The victim was not hurt or killed because they were doing something wrong.
  • The victim was not hurt or killed because they did something to cause their injuries.
  • The CVC application was given to the CVC program by one year from the date of the crime, or six months for home property damage claims.

Each CVC Program can put aside a rule in the list above for an application if there are enough reason(s) to do so.

How To Turn In a CVC Application

Victims need to apply for help to the CVC program in the judicial district where the crime happened. To see a map of Colorado judicial districts click here. Applications may be turned in on-line or in paper form.

HOW TO FILL OUT AN ONLINE CVC APPLICATION FORM:

  • Register for Your Account Profile
  • Verify Your Account. You will get a link sent to your email. If you do not see the email, check your junk or spam folders for the link.
  • Add Profile Details to your account.
  • Start a New Claim Application. This will be for one person. Each person you are asking to receive CVC help will need a separate application, even if it's for the same crime. Multiple applications may be added under one profile.
  • Upload Documents for what you are asking CVC to pay. This may be a bill or bills, an invoice, a credit card statement, a copy of a check, etc.

For PDF instructions on submitting an online application, click here.

HOW TO FILL OUT A PAPER CVC APPLICATION FORM:

  • Call or email the CVC Program (where the crime happened) to receive a paper application. Click here to find the CVC Program information.
  • Send the application and any bills related to the crime to the CVC Program.
  • CVC applications on paper form may be sent in by email, fax, postal mail or dropped off at the CVC program office.

Programs need to review applications that they get by 45 to 60 days. To get this done, the CVC program may ask for more information from you or the people that provided you services. Please remember to give the CVC program a working email or phone number where you can be reached.

Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS CRIME VICTIM COMPENSATION (CVC)?

Crime Victim Compensation (CVC) programs were made by Colorado law to help victims who are hurt or killed and their family members with their costs. CVC can also help people who have the doors, locks or windows of their home damaged by a crime.

What can CVC help pay for?

Each CVC program has written rules that are used to make decisions about what CVC monies pay for and how much CVC monies are paid. Colorado law says that CVC programs only pay for following costs that are caused by a crime.

  • Fair medical and dental bills.
  • Needed medical items such as eyeglasses, wheel chairs, etc.
  • Unpaid time missed from work because the victim was physically or emotionally hurt.
  • Bills for the funeral or related to the funeral and burial.
  • Income lost by family members because the victim was killed.
  • Counseling and other help related to healing after a crime.
  • Money to pay for household expenses that would have been paid by the person who did the crime.
  • Repairing or replacing the outside doors, windows, locks or other security devices of a home that are needed to make sure a victim is safe.
  • Re-keying a car to make a victim safe is the only car expense allowed by law.

What if I have insurance?

The CVC program is the payor of last resort by state and federal law. You may have to send your bills to your car, private or public health insurance, workers compensation, renter or homeowner insurance before CVC can pay the bill. CVC can help you with things not covered by other sources. This may be for out-of-pocket expenses or insurance deductibles.

Do I have to give back CVC money?

You may have to repay the CVC Program if you get money from somewhere else to pay for the same bills that CVC has paid. This may include insurance payments. Please contact the judicial district CVC program where the crime occurred for more information.

Can I still apply for CVC help if the crime happened over a year ago?

Yes, you can still apply. Please tell the CVC Program why you are sending in a CVC application now. Each CVC Program can put aside a rule for an application if there are enough reason(s) to do that.

If CVC pays, does the person who did the crime still have to pay for my crime related expenses?

If there is a criminal case that goes to court, the Judge will be asked to order the person who did the crime to pay back the CVC program for what was paid for you. This is known as restitution.

Are restitution and CVC the same?

No. They are two separate processes and require separate paperwork. Restitution can only be asked for if there is a criminal case that goes to court. You may ask the judge to order the person who did the crime to pay you for any out of pocket expenses that CVC does not pay. You cannot ask the judge to order any money for what CVC has paid. Please contact the judicial district CVC program where the crime occurred for more information.

What happens when I turn in my CVC application?

The CVC Program staff will go over your application to make sure it has all the information needed. The CVC Program staff will get a copy of the police report for the crime that happened to you. The CVC Program staff may email or call you if they need to more information from you or the people that provided you services. Please make sure that you give the CVC program a working email or phone number that they can reach you at.

How do I find out what CVC is going to pay for?

The CVC Board holds a meeting to review applications monthly. They will notify you of their decision after the meeting. They will send a letter or email within 10 days after the meeting. The letter or email will have information about what the CVC Board decided.

How do I know if CVC paid a bill for me?

You will get a letter or an email that explains what was or will be paid by the CVC program. Please make sure that you give the CVC program a working email or phone number that they can reach you at. Please let the CVC program know if you have moved from the address you put in the CVC application.

What if I missed work because of the crime?

If you had a job at the time of the crime, CVC may be able to pay money that you lost because you missed work. If you were not physically hurt in the crime, you may have to get a letter from a doctor, counselor, or another professional explaining why you missed work. If you got money from somewhere else for not working after the crime, CVC can’t help. This would be like paid vacation, sick or personal time off, or money from worker’s compensation. Please contact the judicial district CVC program where the crime occurred for more information.

I have the paper/receipt from the pharmacy proving I paid for the medicine my doctor ordered for my injuries. Can I send these papers to CVC to get paid back?

Yes, you can send CVC papers/receipts that show that you paid for medicines. You also need to send CVC a piece of paper that has the name of the medicine(s) that you paid for. Please contact the judicial district CVC program where the crime occurred if you have more questions.

How can CVC help dependent family members that won’t get money from the victim’s job because the victim died?

CVC may be able to help family members or people who depended upon the victim’s money to pay bills. The victim had to be working at a job at the time that they died. Some CVC programs may also be able to help if there are court order(s) that show what money the victim was paying to family members or an individual. Please contact the judicial district CVC program where the crime occurred for more information.

My home was damaged because of a crime. How can CVC help?

When your home is damaged because of a crime, the only costs CVC can help with are about keeping you and your family safe. CVC may be able to help pay to fix or replace outside doors, locks or windows that were damaged because of a crime. CVC may be able to help buy home security equipment or change locks. Each CVC program handles damages that happen to homes differently. Please contact the judicial district CVC program where the crime occurred for more information.

The person who did the crime may have a key to my car. How can CVC help?

CVC can help pay for a new key to your car to keep you and your family safe. Each CVC program handles buying new car key(s) because of a crime differently. Please contact the judicial district CVC program where the crime occurred for more information.

My house is a mess inside because of a crime. How can CVC help?

CVC may be able to help with cleaning inside a house that has bodily fluids because of the crime. This is called crime scene clean-up. Crime scene clean-up means trained people remove bodily fluids inside your home left from a crime. Please contact the judicial district CVC program where the crime occurred for more information.

I didn’t go see a doctor after my emergency room visit. Can I use the ER doctor’s notes for my lost wages?

Yes, if the doctor’s exit notes indicated that you needed time off of work. Otherwise, you may request a note from the emergency room doctor.

How can CVC help if the person who did the crime has stopped paying some or all of the bills for the house?

When the person who did the crime lived in the same house as the victim of the crime CVC may be able to help. CVC money may be used to pay certain bills for household expenses that were being paid by the person who did the crime. To ask for this help, the person who did the crime can not be living in the house anymore. Not all CVC programs offer this help. Please contact the judicial district CVC program where the crime occurred for more information.

Who can I ask for help or more information about CVC?

There are 22 CVC programs in Colorado. There is one CVC program in each judicial district. Each CVC program only takes care of the applications for crimes that happened in their judicial district. A judicial district can have one or many counties. To see a map of Colorado judicial districts click here.


To see a list of CVC programs and how to contact them click here.


You can also call the State CVC Administrator at the Division of Criminal Justice for help to find the judicial district CVC program to contact. Her name is Kate Horn-Murphy. You may email Ms. Horn-Murphy at kate.horn-murphy@state.co.us or call at 720- 672-2166.