Since July 1, 2017, there have been 205 compensation claims by Canberra crime victims, more than double the number of claims during the entire 2016-2017 financial year.

The increase in pay-outs follows an overhaul of the victims of crime scheme in July 2016.The current financial year is the first since the changes came into effect.

Under the previous scheme, compensation was only awarded to those who suffered serious injuries or were sexually abused.

While the maximum cost of compensation has been slashed, the scheme has been expanded to include a wider range of claims.

Acting victims of crime commissioner Helen Watchirs said the awareness of the new scheme had led to the increase in people receiving compensation.

"In the [previous financial year] we were receiving an average of six cases per month, now we have an average of 41 during the past six months," she said.

"There's certainly a lot more community awareness of the scheme. The act is much clearer now as to what is compensated and what the areas of compensation are for."

In the past six months, almost $800,000 has been paid in compensation to crime victims, with almost $500,000 paid out to 10 people for historical crimes, most of then sexual offences.

Under the new scheme so far, $29,990 have been paid to victims requiring immediate payment, $66,600 was for economic loss, while $150,000 was spent on recognition payments.

Ms Watchirs said the commission has been calling out for more staff in order to cope with the increase in requests.

The acting commissioner said the make-up of victims who had received compensation has also changed in the first six months.

Men made up 53 per cent of all compensation cases in 2016-17 compared to 47 per cent for women, while the first six months of 2017-18 had 61 per cent female victims to 39 per cent male.

The number of Indigenous crime victims has risen from 3 per cent to 10 per cent, while victims from different language backgrounds has increased from 5 to 9 per cent.

Victims of family violence make up 39 per cent of compensation cases, up from the 22 per cent in 2016-17.

According to the Justice Community Safety Directorate's most recent annual report, 73 crime victims shared $2.3 million worth of compensation in the last financial year.

Of the 87 payments made during the 2016-17 period, 31 of those received the maximum payment of $50,000.

A stalking victim was also paid $42,700 under the scheme.

While the amount distributed was the highest since the scheme was established, the number of victims was at a nine-year low, with figures usually hovering around 100.

A spokeswoman for the directorate said the low figures in the 2016-17 financial year was due to the scheme being phased out to the new one which began on July 1 last year.

"Under the new scheme, more people can apply," she said.

"A lot of the people who applied [during 2016-17] are going to have compensation go through this financial year.

"In the past it was difficult because it had to go through the courts, now it's done by an independent authority."