Assessing the Use of Pennsylvania's Victims' Compensation Assistance Program (VCAP)

JRSA worked with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) to examine the use and nonuse of the state's Victims Compensation Assistance Program (VCAP). The study examined the nature and extent of the use of the VCAP program using data published by PCCD and as well as data from the Dependable Access for Victimization Expenses (DAVE) database. The study also used national data published by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) to compare Pennsylvania's use of compensation to that of the nation as a whole. JRSA also analyzed victim response cards provided by PCCD. Finally, JRSA conducted a survey of 160 of the state's victim service providers to obtain their assessment of factors that might account for a lack of use of compensation programs.

The final report, entitled "Assessing the Use of Pennsylvania's Victims Compensation Assistance Program (VCAP)" is available on PCCD's website.