NORC Research Brief: National Study of Victim Compensation Programs Barriers and Challenges to Compensating Victims of Crime

• NCJ Number: 309533
• Author(s): Elena Navarro; Genevieve Citrin Ray; Jeanette Hussemann; Robbie Dembo; Malore Dusenberry; Jennifer Yahner; Josh Fording
• Date Published: August 2024
• Length: 6 pages
• Grant Number(s): 15PNIJ-21-GG-00995-NONF
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Grant Sponsored)
• Award: Twenty Years Later: National Study of Victim Compensation Program Trends, Challenges, and Successes.

Annotation

This publication summarizes the barriers and challenges noted in a study of victim compensation programs conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago and the Urban Institute.

Abstract

This brief presents barriers and challenges to administering compensation programs and providing compensation support to victims of crime based on a study of victim compensation programs conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago and the Urban Institute. These entities were funded to conduct a national, multi-method study to update knowledge about victim compensation programs. The study relies on data from a survey conducted with victim compensation program administrators across the U.S. and semi-structured interviews conducted with victim compensation stakeholders in four states. In this brief, the authors reflect on both how current barriers and challenges are similar to barriers and challenges reported by compensation programs twenty years ago. They also provide recommendations to better support compensation programs and victims of crime moving forward. In 2003, the Urban Institute published the first comprehensive study of state victim compensation programs to understand compensation program structure, operations, efficiencies, and effectiveness. The current study offers the most rigorous data collection effort on state compensation programs since the 2003 study.