So when a man pointed a gun at her head and told her to empty the cash register, she promptly picked up the phone and dialed 911. The man fled without shooting, but when police arrived they told her a bullet could easily have penetrated the glass. Ten days after the robbery, I had a stroke. Under California law, victims of violent crimes and their families are eligible for financial assistance for everything from medical aid and psychological therapy to training for a new vocation. The program is funded by the state Board of Control.
People convicted of crimes pay fines that help fund it.
The state began providing financial aid to victims of crime in 1965. In the early 1980s, Solano County hired local advocates who work out of the District Attorney's Office. From the time a devastated victim walks into their office or picks up the phone to call, advocates take him or her under their wing. They help victims file claims for financial aid and refer them to community resources to get their lives back on track. They support them through the often complicated and lengthy ordeal of testifying in a criminal trial, or simply understanding the judicial system.