******PUBLICATION ADVISORY******

BJS RELEASES PUNITIVE DAMAGE AWARDS IN STATE COURTS, 2005

WASHINGTON - The Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) released Punitive Damage Awards in State Courts, 2005. The report presents findings on civil trials concluded in 2005 in a national sample of state trial courts in which punitive damages were requested or awarded.

This BJS report discusses major civil categories such as intentional tort, automobile accident, medical malpractice, product liability, and employment discrimination and the rates in which litigants requested and received punitive damages. The report also describes variations in punitive damage activity by different pairings of plaintiff and defendant litigants and examines punitive damage award activity between bench and jury trials.

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The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), headed by Assistant Attorney General Laurie O. Robinson, provides federal leadership in developing the nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist victims. OJP has seven components: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; the Community Capacity Development Office; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. More information about OJP can be found at https://ojp.gov.