THE COMMISSION ATTEMPTED TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION PROGRAM, BUT ONLY 3 PERCENT OF ELIGIBLE VICTIMS HAVE FILED CLAIMS. THE COMMISSION ALSO SOUGHT TO INCREASE COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATIVE WORK WITH THE VARIOUS POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. DESPITE EFFORTS TO PROCESS AND COMPLETE MORE CASES EACH YEAR, A BACKING OF OVER 400 CASES IS STILL PENDING. DURING THE YEAR, THE COMMISSION RECEIVED 352 APPLIATIONS. AWARDS WERE ISSUED IN 241 CASES AND 113 APPLICATIONS WERE DENIED. THE COMMISSION AWARDED A TOTAL OF $223,396.45 IN 1979, WITH THE AVERAGE AWARD BEING ABOUT $926.96. ABOUT 25 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL AWARDS WERE FOR MEDICAL EXPENSES, ABOUT 8 PERCENT WERE FOR FUNERAL AND BURIAL EXPENSES, AND 46 PERCENT WENT FOR PAIN AND SUFFERING, WHILE LOSS OF EARNING POWER ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT 20 PERCENT. LEGISLATION AFFECTING THE COMMISSION INCLUDED PASSAGE OF H.B. 686, UNDER WHICH THE CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION ACT WAS AMENDED SO THAT THE COMMISSION IS NO LONGER REQUIRED TO LIST VICTIMS' NAMES IN THE ANNUAL REPORT. ALSO, SENATE BILL 481 REQUIRES THAT THE COMMISSION REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF AWARD, OR DENY A CLAIM, IF THE COMMISSION FINDS THAT A VICTIM WAS PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE; THE COMMISSION THEN USES A COMPARATIVE NEGLIGENCE STANDARD. THE REPORT CONTAINS A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE PROCESS OF AWARDING PAYMENTS WITH RESPECT TO AWARD FOR PAIN AND SUFFERING, ATTORNEY FEES, FUNERAL AND BURIAL EXPENSES, AND AWARD LIMITS. THREE TABLES ARE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT, WHILE APPENDIXES CONTAIN EXTENSIVE TABLES OF DATA RELATING TO KINDS OF INJURIES AND OFFENSES, AMOUNTS OF DAMAGES AND COMPENSATION, AND DATES OF INJURIES AND FEE AWARDS. NUMEROUS CASE HISTORIES ARE ALSO APPENDED. (PRG)