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Impact of Eligibility Rules on Female and Male Crime Victims in a State Victim Compensation Program

NCJ Number
100409
Journal
Justice System Journal Volume: 10 Issue: 2 Dated: (Summer 1985) Pages: 193-212
Author(s)
M A E Steger
Date Published
1985
Length
20 pages
Annotation
Using data from Wisconsin's crime victim compensation program, the analysis explores the impact of eligibility rules on male and female victims of crime, with special attention to sexual assault victims.
Abstract
It is concluded that the pattern of victimization is different for male and female applicants who are denied compensation. Among those denied compensation in the two program years analyzed, sexual assault victims, who are overwhelmingly female, and other female victims were denied compensation because they did not sustain costly physical injuries, while men were denied more often than women for contributory conduct reasons. If the special needs of sexual assault victims are to be met in victim compensation programs, attention must be given to the rules determining eligibility. (Publisher abstract)