NCJ Number
118276
Date Published
1989
Length
315 pages
Annotation
Legislation enacted by the Federal Government and States as of December 1988 that focuses on victim rights and services is reviewed.
Abstract
Victim compensation programs operate in 45 States, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands. Across all programs, annual compensation award payments have risen from $67 million in 1984 to $112 million in 1987. Compensation benefits are generally provided for actual losses due to crime, such as paying for needed medical treatment, mental health counseling, lost wages, physical and occupational rehabilitation, and surviving dependents. At the Federal level, the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA) has impacted both fiscal and administrative aspects of victim compensation. The primary focus of all legislative activity in 1988 was to continue liberalizing victim compensation programs, with VOCA being an effective catalyst for change. As of 1988, two issues remained particularly controversial in victim compensation legislation: household and drunk driving exclusions. Federal and State legislation generally focuses on victim services and rights, victim involvement in sentencing, restitution, victim privacy protection, child victim rights, compensation for mental health counseling and counselor confidentiality, rape, guilty and mentally ill offenders, sexual assault, law enforcement training in victim issues, mandatory arrest on domestic violence cases, marital rape, hate violence, elderly abuse and protective services, child abuse reporting, and AIDS legislation. Charts depict State victim legislation, and sample Federal and State statutes are provided.