Office of the Attorney General: Head of Crime Victim Compensation Office Relieved of His Duties by Attorney General

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

July 16, 2008

Contact: David Wald
609-292-4791


Trenton -- Attorney General Anne Milgram has relieved Edward Werner of his daily responsibilities as the interim director of the Victims of Crime Compensation Office following a critical review of the compensation agency’s policies and procedures by the Office of the Inspector General. Werner, who earns $123,777 annually, was acting in a holdover capacity after his position with the Victims of Crime Compensation Agency was abolished by an executive reorganization plan that went into effect on July 1.

The Victims of Crime Compensation Office, formerly an agency located in the Treasury Department, became a part of the Department of Law and Public Safety in the July 1 reorganization plan. At that point, the VCCA’s executive directorship was abolished — Werner had been serving as the acting executive director — and the Attorney General was granted the power to appoint a new full-time Director.

In a letter to the Attorney General, Inspector General Mary Jane Cooper wrote that the Victims of Crime Compensation Agency had not consistently complied with its statute and regulations and had issued payments to victims without sufficient documentation and management oversight. The Inspector General’s review was prompted by a request from Treasury Department officials who were concerned whether VCCA staff members were following proper fiscal policies and procedures.

“The number of issues raised by the Inspector General are deeply troubling and demand further review,’’ Milgram said. “The Victims of Crime Compensation Office serves a vital role in assisting victims of violent crimes and their families. I must be assured that the office is operating effectively, efficiently and utilizing its resources appropriately.’’

Werner will continue to be paid, pending a more extensive review of the VCCO ’s operations and a final report from the Office of the Inspector General. The Attorney General assigned her Counsel, Shavar Jeffries, to oversee the office on an interim basis.

The Victims of Crime Compensation Agency began operating in August 2007 after it replaced the five-person Victims of Crime Compensation Board that the Legislature abolished in favor of an executive agency headed by a single executive director. The agency provides compensation to victims of violent crime up to a maximum of $25,000. Victims can be reimbursed for medical bills and counseling, lost wages, and relocation expenses. For catastrophic injuries, a victim can receive up to an additional $35,000 for rehabilitative services. The agency is funded in part by fines assessed convicted criminals. The agency distributed $13.5 million in claims last fiscal year.

The Inspector General preliminarily found, among other things, that the VCCA made payments without obtaining proof that claimants were victims of criminal conduct and without requiring adequate documentation to substantiate claim amounts. The Inspector General also said the VCCA made payments that exceeded maximum benefits permitted under the law, and approved payments for legal services without detailed invoices to substantiate the nature of the services.