Help Applying for Crime Victims Compensation From the Berks County District Attorney
The Victim/Witness Assistance Unit of the Berks County District Attorney's Office helps crime victims open a claim with the Victims Compensation Assistance Program, known as VCAP, which pays back certain costs that came directly from a crime.
VCAP may cover unreimbursed expenses for medical care, counseling fees, loss of earnings, loss of support, stolen cash benefit, relocation expenses, funeral expenses, and crime scene clean-up. The page does not list the eligibility rules or dollar limits. To find out whether you meet the eligibility requirements, contact one of the Victim/Witness Coordinators at 610-478-6000 or call VCAP directly at 1-800-233-2339.
You can open a claim online, or contact a Victim/Witness Coordinator at 610-478-6000 or by email to do it with help.
The office is at the County of Berks, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601. Building hours are 8 AM to 5 PM and the building is closed on holidays. Department hours may vary, so call before you go. The page does not say whether there is any cost to file a claim, so ask when you call.
Compensation through VCAP is separate from restitution, which is money a court orders a defendant to pay. Once criminal charges are filed, the District Attorney's Office gives you a restitution form, and a Victim/Witness Coordinator will help you fill it out if you ask. Restitution covers medical bills, counseling fees, property damage, and the fair value of stolen items. It does not cover lost wages, gas mileage for hearings, car rentals, or money for pain and suffering. In adult cases the court orders restitution at sentencing, the Adult Probation Office enforces payment, and the Clerk of Courts Office collects and distributes the money. In juvenile cases the court orders it at the disposition, the Juvenile Probation Office enforces it, and the Clerk of Courts Office distributes it. You can monitor payments on the public docket sheet.
Source: berkspa.gov/departments/da/victim-witness/financial-assis…, read September 18, 2026.
The details
In Berks County District Attorney's Office’s words
As a victim of a crime, you are entitled to some form of compensation for your losses or damages as a direct result of a criminal act. Listed below are ways you may be able to recover your losses.
Organization
Berks County District Attorney's Office
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This listing summarizes publicly available information from berkspa.gov/departments/da/victim-witness/financial-assis…. Last recorded review: September 18, 2026. Contact the provider to confirm eligibility, hours and availability before you go. If something here is wrong, tell us.