The VOCA funds impact on this program's ability to meet the needs of crime victims can be illustrated by actual case examples from this reporting period.  Case 1. The victim died of a gunshot wound to the head and was found lying in the street outside his apartment complex by a tenant in the complex who heard gunshots being fired outside his apartment window. The victim was not armed and law enforcement determined, based on the evidence at the scene, it was consistent with a drive by shooting. The Compensation Program has paid $12,623.01 to the victim?s family to cover funeral and burial expenses, medical expenses, loss of support to the victim?s partner and children, and lost wages for family members. Case 2. The victim was walking towards a bar with his friends when the suspect ran up and punched one of the friends once in the face.  This situation dissolved, the suspect left and the victim's group went inside the bar.  Two hours later the victim?s group decided to leave the bar.  When they were outside the suspect again came up to the victim?s friend and again punched the friend in the face.  The victim stepped in between them and asked the suspect why he was doing this.  The suspect then punched the victim once in the face knocking the victim unconscious.  The victim fell to the ground and hit his head on the concrete.  As a result of the crime the victim suffered from a skull fracture and swelling of the brain.  Due to the head trauma the victim missed work for almost 1 year.  He is the primary support of his family (wife and 4 children).  Currently our program has paid over $15,000 in medical expenses; almost $500 in mileage reimbursement, maxed out his $6,000 lost wage benefit and the program has paid out over $9,000 in his loss of support benefit. Case 3. The victim was riding on the back of a motorcycle with her boyfriend, and he was driving at a high rate of speed.  The vehicle in front of them slowed down and the suspect couldn't get the motorcycle slowed down in time and lost control.  The suspect laid the motorcycle down and both the victim and suspect were ejected off the motorcycle.  The victim received very bad road rash and had to receive several skin grafts all over her body and facial area.  Case 4. A Central Iowa woman was killed by her husband.  He shot their neighbor who witnessed the murder and held hostage their three young children until law enforcement stormed the home and arrested him.  The Crime Victim Compensation Program was able to pay $15,000 toward the funerals of both homicide victims, and $12,000 in loss of support for the three minor children who were placed in the custody of their maternal aunt.  

The program operational software automatically measures efficiency and effectiveness of our ability to reduce the financial impact of crime on victims.  In addition to total claims received, approved and denied, reported above, the program calculated average processing times for original and supplemental claims at 42 and 31 days respectively.  These numbers represent the actual average times for all cases processed during this reporting period. 

The Iowa program uses 5% administrative funds to enable the positions of REstitution Coordinator and Victim Advocate.  These positions allow the program to provide services to crime victims beyond the usual monetary benefits.  The Advocate monitors violent crime in the state, and reaches out to victims to solicit compensation applications, as well as to make referrals for other services.  During this reporting period the Advocate made 925 such referrals.  The REstitution Coordinator supplements available funds by pursuing restitution from convicted offenders in criminal court, and pursuing subrogation recovery from victims who recover from other sources.  For this reporting period restitution recoveries totaled $612,112 and subrogation recoveries totaled $217,365.