NCJ Number
102834
Date Published
1986
Length
54 pages
Annotation
This report reviews Federal, State, and local actions to protect, compensate, and otherwise serve crime victims in the 4 years following the issuance of the report of the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime.
Abstract
Thirty-one States have passed major legislative packages to improve the treatment of crime victims. Federal legislation, including the Victim Witness Protection Act, the Comprehensive Crime Control Act, and the Justice Assistance Act, has guaranteed protections and services for victims of Federal crime. Forty-three States and the District of Columbia offer compensation to crime victims and their survivors; they paid $68 million in 1984. Many States include compensation for mental health counseling and property loss. Twenty-one State laws enacted since 1982 provide funds for services to victims of all crimes. This report summarizes ways in which the police, prosecutors, judges, and the media have focused on crime victims' needs and enhanced victim services. The concluding section of the report reviews actions related to the implementation of task force recommendations at the Federal and State levels, within the criminal justice system, and by other community organizations (hospitals, clergymen, the bar, schools, the mental health community, and the private sector). 17 references.