Despite filing more claims, Black families are more likely to be denied support from victim compensation programs than White families, according to a new study led by scholars at Rutgers University’s New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center.
In 1984, the Victims of Crime Act established victim compensation programs to support victims and families of violent crime. These programs provide compensation to cover expenses such as medical care, counseling, funeral costs, relocation, and lost wages. To determine the prevalence of racial disparities in approval of victim compensation claims, the study authors analyzed nearly 60,000 claims submitted by families of homicide victims across 18 states from 2015 to 2023.
According to their research, the authors found families of Black homicide victims file the most compensation claims, but have lower approval rates than families of White victims. This disparity was particularly pronounced among denials attributed to “contributory misconduct,” an assessment commonly made by law enforcement that determines the deceased was engaged in the conduct that led to their victimization.
The authors believe these findings provide evidence that racially biased judgements are embedded in the compensation review process and suggest an urgent need to revise the compensation guidelines outlined in the Victims of Crime Act.
In addition to those from Rutgers, the study included authors from the University of Michigan and the University of Toronto.
