§ 4-501 — Definitions.

For the purposes of this chapter, the term:

(1) “Board” means the Crime Victims Compensation Appeals Board.

(2) “Claimant” means a person who makes a claim for compensation under this chapter and who is a:

(A) Victim; or

(B) Secondary victim.

(C) Repealed.

(3) "Collateral source":

(A) Means a source of benefits or compensation available to a claimant for economic loss resulting from a crime; and

(B) Includes payments or benefits from:

(i) The offender;

(ii) The United States, District of Columbia, a state or territory of the United States or its political subdivisions, or an agency of the foregoing, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, workers' compensation, public employees' disability compensation, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Health, the Child and Family Services Agency, or Court Social Services;

(iii) A wage continuation program of an employer;

(iv) A contract of life, health, disability, liability, or fire and casualty insurance, or a contract providing prepaid hospital or health care benefits;

(v) Proceeds of a lawsuit brought as a result of the crime; or

(vi) Life insurance proceeds of more than $50,000.

(4) “Commission” means the Crime Victims Compensation Advisory Commission.

(5) “Court” means the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

(6) "Crime" means the following offenses, or the attempt to commit the following offenses, whether prosecuted under the District of Columbia Official Code or substantially similar offense defined in the United States Code, and whether committed in the District against any person or outside of the United States against a resident of the District:

(A) An act of terrorism, as described in § 22-3153 ;

(B) Arson, as described in s § 22-301 ;

(C) Assault with intent to kill, rob, or poison, or to commit first degree sexual abuse, second degree sexual abuse or child sexual abuse, as described in § 22-401 ;

(D) Assault with intent to commit mayhem or with a dangerous weapon, as described in § 22-402 ;

(E) Assault with intent to commit any offense, as described in § 22-403 ;

(F) Assault or threatened assault in a menacing manner; stalking, as described in § 44-404 ;

(G) Aggravated assault, as described in § 22-404.01 ;

(H) Assault on member of police force, campus or university special police, or fire department, as described in § 22-405 ;

(I) Burglary, as described in § 22-801 ;

(J) Carjacking, as described in § 22-2803(a)(1) ; or

(K) Armed carjacking, as described in § 22-2803(b)(1) ;

(L) Criminal abuse of a vulnerable adult or elderly person, as described in § 22-933 ;

(M) Financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult or elderly person, as described in section 203a of the Senior Protection Amendment Act of 2000, effective November 23, 2016 (D.C. Law 21-166; D.C. Official Code § 22-933.01);

(N) Criminal negligence, as described in section 204 of the Senior Protection Amendment Act of 2000, effective June 8, 2001 (D.C. Law 13-301; D.C. Official Code § 22-934);

(O) Cruelty to animals, as described in section 1 of Chapter 106 of the Acts of the Legislative Assembly, approved August 23, 1871, (D.C. Official Code § 22-1001), when committed against the victim's animal;

(P) Cruelty to children, as described in section 3 of An act for the protection of children in the District of Columbia and for other purposes, approved February 13, 1885 (23 Stat. 303; D.C. Official Code § 22-1101);

(Q) The following offenses that resulted in death or bodily injury to a person, notwithstanding that the offender lacked the capacity to commit the offense by reason of infancy, insanity, intoxication, or otherwise:

(i) Speeding and reckless driving, as described in section 9 of the District of Columbia Traffic Act, 1925, approved March 3, 1925 (43 Stat. 1123; D.C. Official Code § 50-2201.04);

(ii) Fleeing from a law enforcement officer in a motor vehicle, as described in section 10b of District of Columbia Traffic Act, 1925, effective March 16, 2005 (D.C. Law 15-239; D.C. Official Code § 50-2201.05b);

(iii) Leaving after colliding, as described in section 10c of District of Columbia Traffic Act, 1925, effective April 27, 2013 (D.C. Law 19-266; D.C. Official Code § 50-2201.05c);

(iv) Object falling or flying from vehicle, as described in section 10d of District of Columbia Traffic Act, 1925, effective April 27, 2013 (D.C. Law 19-266; D.C. Official Code § 50-2201.05d);

(v) Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or a drug, as described in section 3b of the Anti-Drunk Driving Act of 1982, effective April 27, 2013 (D.C. Law 19-266; D.C. Official Code § 50-2206.11);

(vi) Driving under the influence of alcohol or a drug; commercial vehicle, as described in section 3c of the Anti-Drunk Driving Act of 1982, effective April 27, 2013 (D.C. Law 19-266; D.C. Official Code § 50-2206.12);

(vii) Operating a vehicle while impaired, as described in section 3e of the Anti-Drunk Driving Act of 1982, effective April 27, 2013 (D.C. Law 19-266; D.C. Official Code § 50-2206.14);

(viii) Operating under the influence of alcohol or a drug (horse-drawn vehicle), as described in section 3g of the Anti-Drunk Driving Act of 1982, effective April 27, 2013 (D.C. Law 19-266; D.C. Official Code § 50-2206.16);

(ix) Operating under the influence of alcohol or a drug (watercraft), as described in section 3j of the Anti-Drunk Driving Act of 1982, effective April 27, 2013 (D.C. Law 19-266; D.C. Official Code § 50-2206.31); and

(x) Operating a watercraft while impaired, as described in section 3l of the Anti-Drunk Driving Act of 1982, effective April 27, 2013 (D.C. Law 19-266; D.C. Official Code § 50-2206.33);

(R) Manufacture, transfer, use, possession, or transportation of Molotov cocktails, or other explosives for unlawful purposes, as described in section 15A of An Act To control the possession, sale, transfer, and use of pistols and other dangerous weapons in the District of Columbia, to provide penalties, to prescribe rules of evidence, and for other purposes, approved July 8, 1932 (47 Stat. 654; D.C. Official Code § 22-4515a);

(S) Forced labor, as described in section 102 of the Prohibition Against Human Trafficking Amendment Act of 2010, effective October 23, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-239; D.C. Official Code § 22-1832);

(T) Trafficking in labor or commercial sex acts, as described in section 103 of the Prohibition Against Human Trafficking Amendment Act of 2010, effective October 23, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-239; D.C. Official Code § 22-1833);

(U) Sex trafficking of children, as described in section 104 of the Prohibition Against Human Trafficking Amendment Act of 2010, effective October 23, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-239; D.C. Official Code § 22-1834);

(V) Unlawful conduct with respect to documents in furtherance of human trafficking, as described in section 105 of the Prohibition Against Human Trafficking Amendment Act of 2010, effective October 23, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-239; D.C. Official Code § 22-1835);

(W) Benefitting financially from human trafficking, as described in section 106 of the Prohibition Against Human Trafficking Amendment Act of 2010, effective October 23, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-239; D.C. Official Code § 22-1836);

(X) Kidnapping, as described in section 812 of An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1322; D.C. Official Code § 22-2001);

(Y) Malicious burning, destruction, or injury of another's property, as described in section 848 of An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1327; D.C. Official Code § 22-303), that:

(i) Resulted from the discharge of a firearm into the victim's residence or vehicle; or

(ii) Was committed by an intimate partner;

(Z) Mayhem or maliciously disfiguring, as described in section 807 of An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1322; D.C. Official Code § 22-406);

(AA) Manslaughter, as described in section 802 of An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1321; D.C. Official Code § 22-2105);

(BB) Murder in the first degree (purposeful killing; killing while perpetrating certain crimes), as described in section 798 of An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1321; D.C. Official Code § 22-2101);

(CC) Murder in the first degree (placing obstructions upon or displacement of railroads), as described in section 799 of An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1321; D.C. Official Code § 22-2102);

(DD) Murder in the second degree, as described in section 800 of An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1321; D.C. Official Code § 22-2103);

(EE) Murder of law enforcement officer, as described in section 802a of An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia, effective May 23, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-256; D.C. Official Code § 22-2106);

(FF) Negligent homicide, as described in section 802(a) of An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1321; D.C. Official Code § 22-2203.01);

(GG) Where a person was compelled to engage in prostitution:

(i) Engaging in prostitution or soliciting for prostitution, as described in section 1 of An Act For the Suppression of prostitution in the District of Columbia, approved August 15, 1935 (49 Stat. 651; D.C. Official Code § 22-2701);

(ii) Abducting or enticing child from the child's home for purposes of prostitution; harboring such child, as described in section 813 of An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1322; D.C. Official Code § 22-2704);

(iii) Pandering; inducing or compelling an individual to engage in prostitution, as described in section 1 of an Act In relation to pandering, to define and prohibit the same and to provide for the punishment thereof, approved June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. 833; D.C. Official Code § 22-2705);

(iv) Compelling an individual to live life of prostitution against the individual's will, as described in section 2 of an Act In relation to pandering, to define and prohibit the same and to provide for the punishment thereof, approved June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. 833; D.C. Official Code § 22-2706);

(v) Procuring; receiving money or other valuable thing for arranging assignation, as described in section 3 of an Act In relation to pandering, to define and prohibit the same and to provide for the punishment thereof, approved June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. 833; D.C. Official Code § 22-2707);

(vi) Causing spouse or domestic partner to live in prostitution, as described in section 4 of an Act In relation to pandering, to define and prohibit the same and to provide for the punishment thereof, approved June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. 833; D.C. Official Code § 22-2708);

(vii) Detaining an individual in disorderly house for debt there contracted, as described in section 5 of an Act In relation to pandering, to define and prohibit the same and to provide for the punishment thereof, approved June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. 833; D.C. Official Code § 22-2709);

(viii) Procuring for house of prostitution, as described in section 6 of an Act In relation to pandering, to define and prohibit the same and to provide for the punishment thereof, approved January 3, 1941 (54 Stat. 1226; D.C. Official Code § 22-2710);

(ix) Procuring for third persons, as described in section 7 of an Act In relation to pandering, to define and prohibit the same and to provide for the punishment thereof, approved January 3, 1941 (54 Stat. 1226; D.C. Official Code § 22-2711); and

(x) Operating house of prostitution, as described in section 8 of an Act In relation to pandering, to define and prohibit the same and to provide for the punishment thereof, approved January 3, 1941 (54 Stat. 1226; D.C. Official Code § 22-2712);

(HH) Rioting or inciting to riot, as described in section 901 of An Act relating to crime and criminal procedure in the District of Columbia, approved December 27, 1967 (81 Stat. 742; D.C. Official Code § 22-1322);

(II) Robbery, as described in section 810 of An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1322; D.C. Official Code § 22-2801);

(JJ) Attempt to commit robbery, as described in section 811 of An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1322; D.C. Official Code § 22-2802);

(KK) First degree sexual abuse, as described in section 201 of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective May 23, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-257; D.C. Official Code § 22-3002);

(LL) Second degree sexual abuse, as described in section 202 of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective May 23, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-257; D.C. Official Code § 22-3003);

(MM) Third degree sexual abuse, as described in section 203 of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective May 23, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-257; D.C. Official Code § 22-3004);

(NN) Fourth degree sexual abuse, as described in section 204 of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective May 23, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-257; D.C. Official Code § 22-3005);

(OO) Misdemeanor sexual abuse, as described in section 205 of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective May 23, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-257; D.C. Official Code § 22-3006);

(PP) First degree child sexual abuse, as described in section 207 of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective May 23, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-257; D.C. Official Code § 22-3008);

(QQ) Second degree child sexual abuse, as described in section 208 of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective May 23, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-257; D.C. Official Code § 22-3009);

(RR) First degree sexual abuse of a minor, as described in section 208a of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective April 24, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-306; D.C. Official Code § 22-3009.01);

(SS) Second degree sexual abuse of a minor, as described in section 208b of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective April 24, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-306; D.C. Official Code § 22-3009.02);

(TT) First degree sexual abuse of a secondary education student, as described in section 208c of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective October 23, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-239; D.C. Official Code § 22-3009.03);

(UU) Second degree sexual abuse of a secondary education student, as described in section 208d of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective October 23, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-239; D.C. Official Code § 22-3009.04);

(VV) Enticing a child or minor, as described in section 209 of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective May 23, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-257; D.C. Official Code § 22-3010);

(WW) Misdemeanor sexual abuse of a child or minor, as described in section 209a of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective April 24, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-306; D.C. Official Code § 22-3010.01);

(XX) Arranging for a sexual contact with a real or fictitious child, as described in section 209b of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective June 3, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-377; D.C. Official Code § 22-3010.02);

(YY) First degree sexual abuse of a ward, patient, client, arrestee, detainee, or prisoner, as described in section 212 of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective May 23, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-257; D.C. Official Code § 22-3013);

(ZZ) Second degree sexual abuse of a ward, patient, client, arrestee, detainee, or prisoner, as described in section 213 of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective May 23, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-257; D.C. Official Code § 22-3014);

(AAA) First degree sexual abuse of a patient or client, as described in section 214 of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective May 23, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-257; D.C. Official Code § 22-3015);

(BBB) Second degree sexual abuse of a patient or client, as described in section 215 of the Anti-Sexual Abuse Act of 1994, effective May 23, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-257; D.C. Official Code § 22-3016);

(CCC) Sexual performances using minors, as described in section 3 of the District of Columbia Protection of Minors Act of 1982, effective March 9, 1983 (D.C. Law 4-173; D.C. Official Code § 22-3102);

(DDD) Stalking, as described in section 503 of the Omnibus Public Safety and Justice Amendment Act of 2009, effective December 10, 2009 (D.C. Law 18-88; D.C. Official Code § 22-3133);

(EEE) Threats to do bodily harm, as described in section 2 of An Act To confer concurrent jurisdiction on the police court of the District of Columbia in certain cases, approved July 16, 1912 (37 Stat. 193; D.C. Official Code § 22-407);

(FFF) Voyeurism, as described in section 105 of the Omnibus Public Safety Amendment Act of 2006, effective April 24, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-306; D.C. Official Code § 22-3531); and

(GGG) Use, dissemination, or detonation of a weapon of mass destruction, as described in section 105 of the Omnibus Anti-Terrorism Act of 2002, effective October 17, 2002 (D.C. Law 14-194; D.C. Official Code § 22-3155).

(A) “Economic loss” means:

(i) Reasonable medical expenses incurred, whether provided in the District or elsewhere;

(ii) Reasonable funeral and burial expenses, including the reasonable cost of embalming, burial containers, cremation, and the chosen method of interment; provided, that a claimant's economic loss under this sub-subparagraph shall not exceed $10,000;

(iii) The reasonable cost of temporary emergency food and housing not exceeding 120 days;

(iv) Loss of income or support incurred as a direct or indirect result of an injury or death;

(v) Loss of a victim’s services by a secondary victim, including housekeeping and child care services;

(vi) In the case of secondary victims, reasonable psychiatric, psychological, or mental health counseling expenses incurred as a direct result of the crime;

(vii) Reasonable expenses incurred by the victim for physical or occupational therapy and rehabilitation;

(viii) The reasonable cost of cleaning the crime scene;

(ix) Unless the victim is deceased, the replacement value of the victim’s clothing that is held for evidentiary purposes;

(x) The reasonable cost of replacing doors, windows, locks or other items to secure the victim’s home or other place of residence;

(xi) The reasonable cost of alternate transportation, including a rental car or rideshare, for the period of time that an automobile is being held by the police as evidence or to collect evidence;

(xii) Reasonable moving expenses where necessary for health or safety; and

(xiii) Reasonable transportation expenses incurred by the victim or secondary victim to participate in court proceedings, to participate in the investigation or prosecution of the case, or to obtain the services described in sub-subparagraphs (i), (vi), or (vii) of this subparagraph, or paragraph (9) of this subsection, or to obtain any other services required as a direct result of the crime.

(B) “Economic loss” does not mean:

(i) Pain and suffering;

(ii) The value of any property damaged or taken during the crime; or

(iii) Any services not described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.

(8) “Fund” means the Crime Victims Compensation Fund.

(8A) "Intimate partner" means a person:

(A) To whom the offender is or was married;

(B) With whom the offender is or was in a domestic partnership;

(C) With whom the offender has a child in common; or

(D) With whom the offender is, or was, or is seeking to be in a romantic, dating, or sexual relationship.

(9) “Medical expenses” include:

(A) Ambulance, hospital, surgical, medical, nursing, dental, optometric, ophthalmologic, chiropractic, podiatric, in-patient mental health, and pregnancy-related care;

(B) Medical, dental, hearing, and surgical supplies;

(C) Crutches and prosthetic devices taken, lost, or destroyed during the commission of the crime, as well as new prosthetic devices which became necessary as a direct result of the crime and training in their use;

(D) Out-patient mental health counseling expenses which became necessary as a direct result of the crime and which are provided by a:

(i) Licensed psychiatrist or psychologist;

(ii) Licensed social worker;

(iii) Licensed marriage, family, or child counselor practicing within the scope of licensure; or

(iv) Individual licensed by the Board of Professional Counseling as a:

(I) Professional counselor, as described in § 3-1207.10(a) ;

(II) Professional counselor, as described in § 3-1207.10(c) ; or

(III) Graduate professional counselor, as described [in] § 3-1207.10(b) ; and

(E) Veterinary expenses in claims where the victim's animal was a victim of cruelty to animals, as described in § 22-1001 .

(9A) "Minor" means a person under 18 years of age.

(10) “Personal injury” means physical injury, emotional trauma, or both.

(11) “Program” means the Crime Victims Compensation Program.

(12) “Provider of services” means a person or entity providing services pursuant to paragraphs (7) and (9) of this subsection.

(13) “Secondary victim” means a:

(A) Victim’s spouse, children, including biological, step, foster, and adopted, grandchildren, parents, stepparents, siblings, half siblings, or spouse’s parents;

(B) Person who resides in the victim’s household at the time of the crime or at the time of the discovery of the crime;

(C) Person who is a survivor of a victim and who was wholly or partially dependent upon the victim for care and support at the time of the commission of the crime upon which the claim is based, including a child of the victim born after the victim’s death;

(D) Person who legally assumes the obligation, or who voluntarily pays the medical expenses, or in the event of death caused by the crime, funeral and burial expenses, incurred as a direct result thereof;

(E) Person with close ties to the victim; or

(F) Person who witnessed the crime.

(14) “Victim” means a person who suffers personal injury or death in the District, a person who is a resident of the District and suffers personal injury or death as a result of a terrorist act or act of mass violence committed outside of the United States, or a person who is a resident of the District and who suffers personal injury or death outside the District in a state that does not have a crime victims compensation program that is eligible for funding under the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (98 Stat. 2170; 42 U.S.C. § 10601 et seq.), as a direct result of:

(A) A crime;

(B) Assisting lawfully to apprehend a person reasonably suspected of committing or attempting to commit a crime;

(C) Assisting a person against whom a crime has been committed or attempted, if the assistance was rendered in a reasonable manner; or

(D) Attempting to prevent the commission of a crime.

(E) Repealed.

(15) “Victims assistance grants agency” means the District of Columbia agency that is responsible for the administration of federal funds received for crime victims assistance under the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, approved October 12, 1984 (98 Stat. 2170; 42 U.S.C. § 10601 et seq.).

Legislative History

Apr. 9, 1997, D.C. Law 11-243, § 2, 44 DCR 1142; Oct. 19, 2000, D.C. Law 13-172, § 202(a), 47 DCR 6308; Oct. 17, 2002, D.C. Law 14-194, § 151, 49 DCR 5306; Mar. 13, 2004, D.C. Law 15-105, § 31, 51 DCR 881; Oct. 23, 2010, D.C. Law 18-239, § 201(a), 57 DCR 5405