Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the Maine Office of the Attorney General will receive a total of $14,098,282 from the U.S. Department of Justice to fund local victim assistance programs and to help compensate victims for crime-related losses.

“For those who have been the target of a crime, the last thing they should have to worry about is how they will afford the costs resulting from being victimized,” Senators Collins and King said in a joint statement. “By reimbursing victims for financial losses and funding local support services, this grant will help crime victims get back on their feet more quickly.”

Maine will receive $13,885,282 through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victim Assistance Formula Grant Program to support local government and community-based victim services.  Over the last two years, VOCA-funded programs have reached more than 5.2 million victims nationally, providing services ranging from emergency shelter and transportation to crisis counseling, long-term therapy, and civil legal assistance.

Maine will also receive $213,000 for victim compensation programs, which reimburse victims and survivors for medical fees, lost income, dependent care, funeral expenses, and other costs.  This compensation is often a lifeline to victims who face enormous financial setbacks on top of the emotional strife they experience.

The grants are supported by the Crime Victims Fund, a repository of federal criminal fines, fees, and special assessments. The fund includes zero tax dollars.