NCJ Number
213806
Date Published
October 2006
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This video presents roundtable discussions with victims of crime regarding the financial impact of crime and their opinions on how to improve victim compensation programming.
Abstract
The victims of crime who participated in the roundtables identified 10 key ways to better help crime victims: (1) provide low interest Federal loans to victims; (2) provide unpaid leave for victims of violent crime; (3) provide funds to attend criminal justice system proceedings; (4) time victim compensation to coincide with criminal justice system processes; (5) provide indigent victims of violence with extra assistance; (6) the illegal acts of the defendant should not affect the victim’s eligibility for compensation; (7) liberalize rules to assist with life insurance policies and the timing of therapy payments; (8) assist crime victims with personal items associated with the crime; (9) grant sufficient restitution and provide college funding for children of murdered parents; and (10) provide tax relief for victims in the crime year. The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has responded by offering training and technical assistance for State crime victim compensation programs and by implementing two programs: the OVC State crime victim/survivor scholarship program and the OVC professional development scholarship program. The roundtable discussions were held in 9 States and had over 300 participants who came together to discuss problems with the criminal justice system and needed remedies from the perspective of crime victims. The majority of the video presents round table participants discussing their experiences with victim compensation following the violent victimization of their loved ones.