MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1978
$1.4 MILLION PAID AS COMPENSATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIMES OF VIOLENCE
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THE CRIMINAL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. INJURIES COMPENSATION BOARDS RECEIVED 582 APPLICATIONS FOR COMPENSATION IN RESPECT OF INJURIES ARISING FROM CRIMES OF VIOLENCE DURING THE YEAR 1977-78.
· COMPENSATION PAID OUT TOTALLED $1.4 MILLION, COMPARED WITH .5 MILLION IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR,
IN HIS FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT PUBLISHED TODAY (MONDAY), THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARDS, MR. ROBERT W.N. WEI, SAID NO CLAIM WAS RECEIVED DURING THE YEAR IN RESPECT OF INJURIES CAUSED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN THE EXECUTION OF THEIR DUTIES.
MR. WEI SAID THE 582 APPLICATIONS RECEIVED REPRESENTED A DECREASE OF 41 CLAIMS OR 6.6 PER CENT COMPARED WITH THE FIGURES OF THE PRECEDING YEAR.
HE ATTRIBUTED THE DECREASE TO THE FACT THAT A NUMBER OF VICTIMS WERE SIMPLY NOT INTERESTED, BEING AWARE OF THE IR SOCIALLY DISAPPROVED CONDUCT OR WAY OF LIFE LEADING TO THEIR OWN INJURIES.
IN CERTAIN FATAL CASES, HE SAID, THERE WERE NO SURVIVING RELATIVES COMING FORWARD TO MAKE A CLAIM,
MR. WEI SAID THE APPLICATIONS RECEIVED COVERED 12.2 PER CENT OF THE 4,779 CASES OF REPORTED CRIMES OF VIOLENCE INVOLVING PERSONAL INJURIES, OF THESE APPLICATIONS, ROBBERY AND BURGLARY CASES MADE UP 34 PER CENT WHILE ASSAULT AND WOUNDING CASES REPRESENTED 56 PER CENT.
THE BIGGEST SINGLE PAYMENT OF $22,400 WAS AWARDED TO THE DEPENDANTS OF A WOMAN KILLED IN A ROBBERY CASE WHILE DEFENDING HERSELF AND PROTECTING HER SON.
THE $1.4 MILLION AWARDED BRINGS TO $6.24 MILLION THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION PAID OUT SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE CRIMINAL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT INJURIES COMPENSATION SCHEME IN 1973.
UNDER THE SCHEME, COMPENSATION CAN BE OBTAINED ON A CLAIM BASIS BY SIMPLE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES, THE AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION IS DETERMINED BY A PANEL OF BOARD MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, AND IS PAID OUT FROM PUBLIC FUNDS THROUGH THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.
WHERE THE VICTIM WAS KILLED OR SUFFERED INJURIES AS A RESULT OF CRIME PREVENTION OR MAKING SUCH ATTEMPTS, COMPENSATION MAY BE INCREASED BY THE BOARD UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 100 PER CENT.
IN MAKING AN AWARD, ACCOUNT IS ALSO TAKEN WHEREVER NECESSARY OF SUCH FACTORS AS THE VICTIM'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE CRIME OR HIS INJURY, HIS CONDUCT PRECEDING AND DURING THE INCIDENT, AS WELL AS HIS CHARACTER OR HIS WAY OF LIFE.
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