NCJ Number
164256
Date Published
1996
Length
121 pages
Annotation
Crime victim compensation is examined in terms of its current forms, the scope and limitations of each form, recommended improvements in current programs, and potential future developments.
Abstract
An introduction presents an overview of the reasons that crime victims require reimbursement, the rationales for reimbursing them, the forms that reimbursement can take, and the reasons that reimbursement may be inadequate or may fail to reach eligible victims. Subsequent chapters examine victim restitution, private insurance, social welfare and other government programs, civil litigation, and crime victim compensation in detail. The analysis concludes that methods of reimbursing victims are increasing, but many problems still exist. Benefit agencies need to contain their costs, increase their resource pools, and target increased resources to the most underserved victims. In addition, society needs to improve the ways that victims are served by both benefits agencies and the public and ensure that all legitimate needs of all types of crime victims receive attention. Furthermore, agencies need to use the information they learn about victimization to prevent crime as well as to address their aftermath. Figures, tables, footnotes, glossary, index, and 195 references