Sunday - July 19, 2009

More stupid stuff because this place has people who spend lots of time thinking things up. And get $

They get paid for it.

Alright, most of us here and in fact I dare say all, are dead set against a compensation culture. Which I do not think this is.
But it is compensation.

I had never heard about this sort of thing before. It just never dawned on me that victims of crime would get money from the state for being victims.
Never thought about it. 

I guess we all would feel sympathy for a rape victim or any victim of a serious crime.  And difficult I think if not impossible (for me anyway) to begrudge someone who has been the victim of some of the crimes I have read about since moving here.
Yesterdays papers for example had a story about some poor young girl going home (yes, sober) from a school prom, who was set upon by 6 thugs and raped.
Sickening to read maybe but think of what that kid is going through right now.  So I could hardly object were she to receive money.

Now comes the reason for this post.

It’s been decided by the ppl in power that some victims may not get as much as they might, if say they have had dealings with the law.
Now then I’m not talking about crime.  A speeding ticket (ok, that’s against the law) in your past will do it.

See what you think.  Makes no sense to me but then nobody asked.

Victims of violent crime are receiving reduced payouts if they have previously been convicted of minor offences, including traffic violations, it has emerged.

19 Jul 2009

Crime victims have always faced deductions from the cash they receive from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) if they have previous criminal convictions, on the grounds that their character makes it “inappropriate that a full award or any award should be made”.

But previously those who had been fined £250 or less or received a conditional discharge received compensation in full, as their conviction was not taken to reflect on their character.

An amendment introduced by Justice Secretary Jack Straw last November has now removed this exemption, meaning that deductions must be made for any unspent convictions, including driving offences, unless there are “exceptional circumstances”.

According to the Mail on Sunday, victims with unspent motoring convictions on their record could see compensation payouts reduced by as much as £1,650 in a rape case, £4,950 for an assault resulting in the loss of a leg or £37,500 for very serious brain injury.

In a murder case, surviving relatives could see compensation reduced by as much as £1,650 if the victim had been convicted of a driving offence within the past five years, said the paper.

Shadow justice secretary Dominic Grieve said: “People will be astonished that ministers are targeting victims of crime simply because they may have committed minor traffic violations - for which they have already paid the penalty - while prisoners released early are being given compensation for the food and accommodation they would have received free.

“The idea that a rape victim or the parents of a murdered child should have their compensation docked for a speeding conviction years earlier is a revolting proposition.”

TELEGRAPH

Posted by peiper     on 07/19/2009 at 11:00 AM   
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