| Cost of Crime and Victimization
The direct tangible costs to crime victims annually are estimated
to be $105 billion in medical expenses, lost earnings, and public
program costs related to victim assistance. Pain, suffering and
reduced quality of life increase the cost to $450 billion annually.
(National Institute of Justice [NIJ]. 1996. Victim Costs and
Consequences: A New Look. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Justice.)
In 2000, 36 percent of rape and sexual assault victims lost more
than 10 days of work after their victimization. (Bureau
of Justice Statistics [BJS]. August 2002. National Crime Victimization
Survey: Personal and Property Crimes, 2000. Washington, DC:
U.S. Department of Justice.)
Property crimes in 2000 cost victims more than $11.8 billion.
(Ibid.)
The direct cost of medical treatment for battered women annually
is estimated at $1.8 billion. (Wisner, C.,
Gilmer, T., Saltman, L., Zink, T. "Intimate partner violence
against women: do victims cost health plans more?" Journal of Family Practice,
1999: 48[6].)
State compensation programs paid crime victims and their families
$370 million in benefits in the federal fiscal year 2001, which
represents an increase of $52 million from 2000 and an increase
of $120 million increase from 1998. (National
Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards [NACVCB]. 2002. "Compensation
at Record Highs." Victim Compensation Quarterly. (3).)
In 2001, crime victim compensation paid $165.9 million to victims
for medical and dental costs; $55.4 million for mental health costs;
$73.5 million in lost wages and lost support; $40.3 million for
burial costs; $8.6 million for forensic rape exams; $104,200 for
crime scene-clean-up; and other expenses estimated at $23.1 million.
(Ibid.)
The NACVCB reports that 28 percent of adults receiving crime victim
compensation benefits in 2001 were domestic violence victims. (Ibid)
Child victims of physical and sexual abuse received another twenty-three
percent of all claims paid. (Ibid.)
Vandalism costs a total of 1.7 billion in damages to households
in the United States in 2000. (Bureau of Justice Statistics [BJS].
September 2002. Crime and the Nation's Households, 2000. Washington,
DC: U.S. Department of Justice.)
The crime-related cost of drug abuse increased from $60.8 billion
in 1992 to 88.9 billion in 1998 and was projected to reach $100
billion in 2000. (Office on National Drug Control Policy [ONDCP].
September 2001. The Economic Costs of Drug Abuse in the United
State, 1992-1998. Washington, DC: Executive Office of the President.)
Securities regulators estimate that securities and commodities
fraud totals approximately $40 billion a year. (National White
Collar Crime Center. 2002. Securities Fraud: Richmond, VA.)
Check fraud is estimated to cost United States businesses $10
billion a year. (National White Collar Crime Center. 2002. Check
Fraud: Richmond, VA.)
Consumers and others lose an estimated $40 billion annually to
telemarketing fraud. (National White Collar Crime Center. 2002. Telemarketing
Fraud: Richmond, VA.)
The U.S. General Accounting Office reports that health care fraud
totals 10 percent of total healthcare expenditures each year, which
puts annual heath care fraud losses at $100 billion. (National
White Collar Crime Center. 2002. Healthcare Fraud: Richmond,
VA.)
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| National Crime Victims' Rights
Week: Fulfill the Promise |
April 6–12, 2003 |
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