BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) – The Brown County Clerk of Courts is reminding crime victims to update their mailing address, otherwise, they could be missing out on some serious cash.
The news comes at the tail end of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
John Vander Leest with the Brown County Clerk of Courts says there’s a considerable amount of money to be given out.
“Normally we might get $100,000 for the year and we’re looking at doubling or tripling that amount,” explains Vander Leest. “And that’s all money that can go right back to the victims.”
Restitution checks vary case by case, but in some circumstances can mean a big payday.
“We’ve seen checks as high as $10,000,” he says. “That can help cover their previous medical bills or other expenses related to the crime.”
Additionally, they’re expecting 20,000 more cases to move to the state debt collection agency over the next six months.
The only problem is that if they don’t have your current address, you won’t be able to receive a restitution check.
“Well if you’re mailing checks on cases from the ’80s and ’90s and 2000s, a good portion of those people have moved,” he explains.
Meaning that those eligible need to put their current address in writing and send it to the clerk of courts.
For those not sure if they are eligible or what steps are required, the message is to be proactive and simply reach out because help is available.
“Even if they know that they are the victim of crime in Brown County over the last decades, but they don’t know the case number, we can help them find that and still get it updated,” he says.
Judge William Atkinson has been a proponent of encouraging crime victims to update their information in order to collect what is owed to them.
“I would like to get restitution in the pockets of as many victims as possible,” explains Judge Atkinson. “Crime victims must not be forgotten, and we care about victims getting restitution in Brown County.
