NCJ Number
82251
Date Published
Unknown
Length
12 pages
Annotation
The development and activities of the Iowa restitution program are described, along with the evaluation design.
Abstract
During its 1974 session, the Iowa Legislature passed a bill requiring that restitution be made to crime victims. Restitution is made a condition of either deferred sentence or probation. A formal restitution plan is mandated to include a specific restitution amount for each victim and a schedule of restitution payments. The court must approve each restitution plan and any subsequent changes made in it. Full restitution may not be required, since the defendant's ability to pay is a consideration. The legislation requiring restitution gives no indication about the purpose of restitution, so the evaluation itself has devised objectives for the program. The evaluation will attempt to determine if offenders paying restitution recidivate at a higher rate than those who do not, whether offenders who deal directly with their victims recidivate at a higher or lower rate than those who do not, whether offenders who face their victims pay restitution more or less readily than those who do not, and whether restitution orders increase the number of technical violations and technical revocations. The evaluation report is expected to be available by late December 1975. Two sample restitution plan reports are provided.