California’s victim compensation doled out $6m less in 2020, revealing gaps in crucial program

Ten thousand fewer claims were submitted that year while 900 more were rejected by the board as compared with 2019, data says

The California agency that serves as a last resort for crime survivors and families of crime victims in need of financial support gave out nearly $6m less in the first year of the pandemic than it did in the year before, an analysis of the agency's annual reports reveals, with compensation declining for all major types of crime apart from homicides.

The rise in homicide compensations reflects the stark uptick in gun violence during the pandemic, a rise whose impact has been most acutely felt by Black and Latino Americans. But the decline in overall payments renews questions about gaps in the program that advocates say make it difficult for those in need to collect compensation.