There were 30 Commission meetings in fiscal year 1996, compared with 41 meetings in the previous fiscal year. The number of hearings were reduced because the passage of Act 182 (effective June 14, 1995) assigned initial decision-making authority to the administrative staff. This effectively made the Commissioners an appeals and policy board. If an applicant is dissatisfied with the administrative decision, a Commission hearing is scheduled. The members have no prior knowledge of the administrative decision, and the applicant has an opportunity to be heard by a new body. Of the 688 administrative decisions, only 3 percent (34 applicants) requested De Novo hearing before the members. The administrative decision process expedited eligibility notifications and decisions to victims. During fiscal year 1996, 807 new claims applications were received, and 1,018 payments were issued, including 48 supplemental awards. Another benefit of administrative decisions is the continued reduction in pending claims. A total of $859,006.56 was awarded to 771 claims, for an average award of approximately $1,114. Data show amounts received from various funding sources; awards and denials by type of crime and gender; claims received, awarded, denied, withdrawn, and pending; average amount of awards; total amount of awards; and operational budget. Appended case summaries for awards and denials