COLUMBIA, S.C. - The U.S. Department of Justice has awarded a $4.1 million grant to the South Carolina Office of Victim Assistance, U.S. Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings said Monday.

The office provides critical services to families as they heal from the physical, psychological, and emotional wounds of crime and violence, Hollings said. "This grant does much to ensure that victims of crime can receive compensation payments," Hollings said.

The grant provides funds to enhance South Carolina's victim compensation payments.

To date, the funds have always come from people convicted of federal crimes, not taxpayers.