Del. officials eye funeral costs for crime victims

State officials are holding public hearings on a proposal to reduce the amount of assistance available for funerals of crime victims.

Wednesday’s hearings in Wilmington and Dover involve a proposal to reduce the amount of funding for funeral and burial expenses from $8,500 to $5,000.

Officials say the Victims Compensation Advisory Council reviewed existing claims for funeral and burial expenses, national data regarding funeral and burial costs, and the limits placed by other states on such assistance.

The council concluded that the $8,500 limit seemed excessive in many cases and was a drain on limited resources. The council also determined that the national average funeral cost is about $5,500, and that the median ceiling for assistance in other states is $5,000, which is the maximum compensation in Pennsylvania and Maryland.