624. Eligibility. 1. Except as provided in subdivision two of this section, the following persons shall be eligible for awards pursuant to this article:
(a) a victim of a crime;
(b) a surviving spouse, grandparent, parent, stepparent, guardian, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, child, stepchild or grandchild of a victim of a crime who died as a direct result of such crime;
(c) any other person dependent for his principal support upon a victim of a crime who died as a direct result of such crime;
(d) any person or business represented by a person who has paid for or incurred the burial expenses of a victim who died as a direct result of such crime, except such person shall not be eligible to receive an award for other than burial expenses unless otherwise eligible under paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this subdivision;
(e) an elderly victim of a crime;
(f) a disabled victim of a crime;
(g) a child victim of a crime;
(h) a parent, stepparent, grandparent, guardian, brother, sister, stepbrother or stepsister of a child victim of a crime;
(i) a surviving spouse of a crime victim who died from causes not directly related to the crime when such victim died prior to filing a claim with the office or subsequent to filing a claim but prior to the rendering of a decision by the office. Such award shall be limited to out-of-pocket loss incurred as a direct result of the crime; and
(j) a spouse, child or stepchild of a victim of a crime who has sustained personal physical injury as a direct result of a crime.
* (k) a surviving spouse, child or stepchild of a victim of a crime who died as a direct result of such crime and where such crime occurred in the residence shared by such family member or members and the victim.
* NB Effective until January 21, 2018
* (k) a surviving spouse, grandparent, parent, stepparent, guardian, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, child, stepchild, or grandchild of a victim of a crime who died as a direct result of such crime and where such crime occurred in the residence shared by such family member or members and the victim.
* NB Effective January 21, 2018
2. A person who is criminally responsible for the crime upon which a claim is based or an accomplice of such person shall not be eligible to receive an award with respect to such claim. A member of the family of a person criminally responsible for the crime upon which a claim is based or a member of the family of an accomplice of such person, shall be eligible to receive an award, unless the office determines pursuant to regulations promulgated to carry out the provisions and purposes of this article, that the person criminally responsible will receive substantial economic benefit or unjust enrichment from the compensation. In such circumstances the award may be reduced or structured in such way as to remove the substantial economic benefit or unjust enrichment to such person or the claim may be denied.
Last modified: February 3, 2019