The Baxter County Sheriff’s Office has surpassed $4 million in restitution payments collected for crime victims since 2005.
Montgomery said while money cannot replace the emotional trauma suffered by victims, law enforcement has a responsibility to make every effort possible to collect restitution ordered by the courts.
Montgomery goes on to share the impact the restitution can have on the victim’s.
The sheriff’s office says some restitution cases date back to the late 1980s, and locating victims or surviving family members can sometimes be difficult. When victims or their families cannot be located, Arkansas law requires the funds to be sent to the Arkansas State Auditor’s Office.
Since 2016, the sheriff’s office says only $5,628 involving 19 victims has been turned over to the state because victims or family members could not be located.
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