Bobby Christine, Byung J. “BJay” Pak and Charles Peeler Bobby Christine (from left), BJay Pak and Charles Peeler

All three U.S. attorneys for Georgia and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council announced Friday the creation of what they called the largest crime victim assistance award in history—$110 million.

The money is to come from restitution payments by those convicted of crimes and be awarded as grants to fund victim-assistance programs across the state and to help compensate victims for crime-related losses, the attorneys said in a news release Friday.

The attorneys said $6.6 million of the funds will be awarded directly to individuals under the Victims of Crime Act Victim Compensation Grant Program to reimburse victims and survivors for medical expenses, mental health counseling, loss of income or support, funeral expenses and crime scene sanitation, the attorneys said. The lion's share, $105 million, will go to the state under the VOCA Victim Assistance Formula grant to support providers of services to crime victims, including local governments and community organizations that provide direct services to victims.

“Crime victims often suffer physical, emotional and financial injury,” U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak for the Northern District of Georgia said in the joint news release. “While tremendous progress has been made in addressing the rights of crime victims, these funds will justly compensate and lessen the impact of their financial burdens, while also providing additional program resources to support them during their recovery process.”

U.S. Attorney Charles Peeler for the Middle District of Georgia said, “No amount of money can fully fix the traumas crime victims and their families frequently endure, but these funds can help offset financial, physical and emotional injuries. Peeler added that the grants also are important to “let the victim community know that their voices are heard.”

U.S. Attorney Bobby Christine for the Southern District of Georgia said, “This historic award, funded almost entirely out of the pockets of those convicted of crime, is an aggressive affirmation that we are putting victims first.”

The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council will administer the grants. Executive Director Jay Neal said, “This funding allows us to aid people when they are potentially at the darkest time in their life, and for that, we are grateful.”