The Kentucky Claims Commission announced on Monday, October 23, 2017 that it was awarded a $171,000 grant from the Crime Victims Fund within the Office of Justice Programs at the United States Department of Justice. Public Protection Cabinet Secretary David Dickerson stated that the grant will be used to pay crime victim compensation claims and to meet the needs of crime victims. Dickerson said the grant will further provide caring assistance and support to Kentucky’s crime victims. The former Crime Victims Compensation Board was reorganized in 2016 by Governor Matt Bevin, who created the Kentucky Claims Commission to streamline services and eliminate the inefficiencies that contributed to a backlog of $2 million in unpaid claims.