Established in 1966, the NYS Office of Victim Services (OVS) provides compensation and other services to innocent victims of crimes and their families including paying unreimbursed crime-related medical and funeral expenses, loss of earnings or support, and counseling costs.
Over time, the role and the mission of the agency has expanded to require that the OVS advocate for victims’ rights, needs, and interests in NYS, with a three-tiered mission:
- Provide compensation to innocent victims of crime in a timely, efficient, and compassionate manner
- Fund direct services to crime victims via a network of community-based programs
- Advocate for the rights and benefits of all innocent victims of crime.