CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Ohio's Victims of Crime Compensation Program has a loophole that is disqualifying many people from the program who truly need the money. The program is designed to compensate victims of violent crime -- and their survivors -- if victims are murdered.
But it turns out many of those survivors end up paying all their own bills because they're paying for a crime the victim may have committed before his death.
Take the case of Daniel "Chaz" Dudley. It happened in the flash of an eye and the flash of a muzzle – he was killed in Colerain Township in 2007.
"My son was in innocent passenger in a car and he was murdered.”
Hope Dudley was Chaz's mom. While she was grieving the loss of her son, she lost wages, had to pay for the funeral, and help take care of his five children.
She applied for funds through the Ohio Attorney General's office. The Victim's Compensation Fund is meant for family members who are innocent victims of a violent crime, to be used for things like counseling, lost wages, financial support for dependents and funeral and burial costs.
One would think Hope would be the perfect candidate to receive compensation. But she was denied because there are several disqualifying factors outlined in the compensation rules.
If the crime was not reported, if the victims don't cooperate with law enforcement, or if the victim has any felonies on their record from the past 10 years, they do not qualify for victim compensation.
Now Hope works as a victim's advocate for the Ohio Attorney General's office, helping other victims navigate the system -- even though the system failed her in more ways than one.
"I miss him,” says Hope. “His case is still unsolved, searching for justice, it's just devastating."
If changes are going to be made to how the Victim's Compensation Fund is distributed, it would have to come from the Ohio legislature.
Local 12 called 12 different state senators and representative for this story.
Only one, Brigid Kelly representing the 31st District -- a district with quite a few innocent victims -- said she would investigate the matter. She told us that people should not be denied financial resources in times of tragedy.
The Crime Victims Compensation Program is supported through court fines, fees and settlements. In 2018, $7.3 million was used from the fund to assist more than 2,700 people.
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