Crime Doesn’t Pay… Or Does It?

DA’s Corner by District Attorney Mike Little

You always hear the phrase “Crime doesn’t pay” but perhaps it does.

I believe that this phrase was originally coined to make the point that criminals who think they can make fast and easy money will eventually be caught and brought to justice.

Hence, crime doesn’t pay… at least in the long run. This is still true in my opinion but the criminal justice system has devised a way for criminals to pay back crime victims.

So, in a sense, crime does pay when criminals reimburse crime victims for their losses.


This program is known as the Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation Program.

The Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation Program is a financial assistance program that helps eligible victims of crime with certain expenses related to certain crimes.

Although this program has many positive attributes, one of the best things about this program is that the money for this program comes from court costs paid by criminals and deposited by each Texas county into the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund.

To be eligible for compensation a person must be a U.S. resident with the crime occurring in Texas or a Texas resident who becomes a victim in a state or country without a compensation program.

United States citizenship is not required.

Also, a person must report the crime to a law enforcement agency within a reasonable period of time, but not so late as to interfere with or hamper the investigation and prosecution of the crime.

Additionally, the application for crime victim compensation benefits must be filed within three years of the date of the crime.

The following persons may qualify for compensation: an innocent victim of crime who suffers substantial threat of physical and/or emotional harm or death; a dependent of a victim; an authorized individual acting on behalf of a victim; an intervenor who goes to the aid of a victim or peace officer; a person who legally assumes the obligations or voluntarily pays certain expenses related to the crime on behalf of the victim; immediate family or household members related by blood or marriage who require counseling as a result of the crime; a peace officer, fire fighter or individual who has a duty to protect the public and who is injured in a crime.

Benefits may be reduced or denied if the victim participated in the crime, engaged in illegal activity, contributed to the crime, was an inmate at the time of the crime, knowingly or intentionally submitted false or forged information to the Crime Victims’ Compensation Program, and/or did not cooperate with the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

Crime Victims’ Compensation benefits may be approved up to a total of $50,000.

In the case of catastrophic injuries resulting in a total and permanent disability, victims may be eligible for an additional $75,000 in benefits.

Approved benefits may be awarded for the following: medical, hospital, physical therapy and/or nursing care; psychiatric services; relocation assistance for victims of family violence or sexual assault who are assaulted in their place of residence; loss of earnings or support; loss of wages and travel reimbursement due to participation in, or attendance at, the investigation and prosecution phases; care of a child or dependent; funeral and burial expenses; crime scene clean-up; replacement costs for certain property seized as evidence or rendered unusable as a result of the criminal investigation; loss of wages and travel to seek medical treatment or counseling.

Additional benefits are available for victims who have suffered a catastrophic injury.

The Crime Victims’ Compensation Program is administered by the Office of the Texas Attorney General.

However, the victim assistance coordinator in my office is available to assist any eligible person with the filing of the appropriate paperwork.

So, does crime pay? Not really. But criminals certainly do… in many ways. The Crime Victims’ Compensation Program is one of those ways.

Meanwhile...Stay Safe!