Student

Some may argue that the needs for victims of crime are not well addressed in our legal system. Although victims of crime may apply to VOCAT for compensation, victims of crime do not technically have any specified legal "rights"(VICTIM SUPPORT ACT - VICTIM INFORMATION GUIDE 3/2007).

VOCAT can only award financial assistance to any crime where the victim was seriously injured. VOCAT will not compensate for expenses incurred through the loss of or damage to property as a result of a crime.* This means that no matter how terrible a white collar crime the victim will not receive any financial assistance whatsoever.

The needs and compensation for victims of crime need to be carefully balanced with the economic viability. To reimburse every victim of crime for direct damage could cost taxpayers anywhere between $16803 million to $26924 million per-annum (Australian Institution of Criminology) and those figures only include direct property damage, not counselling fees and the like.

Judging the exact amount to compensate victims would be exceedingly difficult for their losses could include anything from a wallet to the bill for a psychologist. Specifically in the case of a related victim the compensation could balloon out to include fees for private school tuition and elite universities.

The maximum penalty for the charge of murder (Section 18, 19A of the Crimes Act) is imprisonment for life. There is no mention whatsoever for compensation being paid to the victim. The legal system does not address the need for compensation for relatives of the victim.

Even urgent financial assistance has to be processed by a tribunal which then has to assess the validity of a application**. This does not allow for victims who need immediate financial support for perhaps even basic food goods.

A Primary victim is a person who dies or is grievously injured as a direct result of the violence by trying to prevent a crime or coming to help the victim. The maximum...