NCJ Number
157506
Journal
Judicature Volume: 79 Issue: 1 Dated: (July-August 1995) Pages: 30-33
Date Published
1995
Length
4 pages
Annotation
An experiment conducted in the Kings County (N.Y.) Criminal Court in Brooklyn tested two tentative findings relating the level of enforcement of restitution orders with compliance rates and whether more regular contact between the restitution collection agency and victims enhances victims' perceptions that they are well informed about the status of collection efforts.
Abstract
The project involved two separate experiments, one testing three intensities of mail and telephone followup methods on compliance rates and the other testing the effect of informing victims of the status of collection efforts and determining victim satisfaction with the restitution process. A total of 449 cases were randomly assigned to different followup measures and different levels of victim information. Results revealed that varying levels of enforcement efforts such as reminder letters or telephone calls have a significant effect on compliance with restitution order, that victims can be made to feel better informed, and that victim perception of the process can be changed substantially with a minimum of effort. Findings indicated that small measures can go a long way toward increasing compliance with and knowledge of the restitution process.