NCJ Number
13352
Date Published
1974
Length
324 pages
Annotation
OVERVIEW OF VICTIM COMPENSATION PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD, AS WELL AS A DISCUSSION OF THE KEY PROCEDURAL AND IDEOLOGICAL ISSUES INVOLVED.
Abstract
AMIDST THE CRIES FOR PROTECTION OF OFFENDERS' RIGHTS AND JUSTICE FOR THE CRIMINAL, SOCIETY TOO OFTEN FORGETS THE ONE MOST HARMED BY A CRIMINAL ACT - THE VICTIM. IN RESPONSE, LEGISLATURES HAVE STARTED GRANTING PUBLIC FUNDS TO PERSONS VICTIMIZED BY A CRIME OF VIOLENCE AND TO SURVIVORS OF THOSE KILLED IN THE COURSE OF SUCH CRIMES. VICTIM COMPENSATION PROGRAMS, HOWEVER, ARE OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY MANY TROUBLESOME QUESTIONS. SHOULD ANY INVOLVEMENT OF THE VICTIM IN THE PERPETRATION OF THE CRIME, ALTHOUGH SHORT OF ACTUAL CRIMINAL CONDUCT, DISQUALIFY HIM FROM BENEFITS? SHOULD CRIMES INVOLVING ONLY MEMBERS OF THE SAME FAMILY ENTITLE THE INJURED PERSON TO RECEIVE AID? SHOULD BENEFITS BE PERIODIC OR PAID IN ONE LUMP SUM? SHOULD THE NEED OF THE VICTIM BE CONSIDERED? THIS STUDY EXAMINES THE IDEOLOGICAL AS WELL AS PROCEDURAL ISSUES IN THE VICTIM COMPENSATION DEBATE. ITS BASIC AIM IS TO PROVIDE THE KIND OF INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS ABOUT CURRENT COMPENSATION SCHEMES CONSIDERED USEFUL FOR BLUEPRINTING FURTHER EFFORTS. CONTEMPORARY COMPENSATION PROGRAMS ARE PLACED IN THEIR HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AS THE VOLUME REVIEWS THE SUBJECT FROM THE CODE OF HAMMURABI OF ANCIENT BABYLONIA TO THE MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS. INDIVIDUAL CHAPTERS EXAMINE SPECIFIC INGREDIENTS AND ASSESS THE APPARENT STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF MAJOR PROGRAMS IN NEW YORK, CALIFORNIA, MASSACHUSETTS, HAWAII, AND NEW JERSEY, AS WELL AS IN GREAT BRITAIN AND OTHER FOREIGN COUNTRIES. THE LAST CHAPTER ISOLATES AND DISCUSSES THE MAJOR ISSUES THAT CONSTITUTE THE CORE OF DIFFERENT COMPENSATION SYSTEMS, INCLUDING PARTICULARLY CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES THAT HAVE CONCERNED SCHOLARS AND ADMINISTRATORS ALIKE. (SNI ABSTRACT)