Monday, January 23, 2006

Criminal Injuries Compensation

Why should this be paid at all?
If somebody has their skull smashed in by a thug and somebody else sustains the same injuries tripping over his own bootlaces why should one be ‘compensated ‘ and the other not? But just to avoid any suggestion that ‘fault’ has anything to do with this question let us suppose it was somebody else’s laces he tripped over.
Is there less grief in the death of somebody from a sudden illness than the death of somebody murdered?
In the dreadful recent case of the police failing to turn up at a shooting incident because it was too dangerous then had injuries ensued I would support a compensation claim against the police but that is not the same thing.
There is no justification that I can see for awarding money for injury simply because the injury arose in a way that was illegal. Compensation of this kind bears all the hallmarks of the quick fix politician the same bunch that produced the unbearable Financial Services Authority. The public feel sorry for victims of crime – so let us be seen to be making a law that will give the victims money. Doesn’t matter if it is illogical.

3 comments:

Sir Compton Valence said...

Which came first, compensation culture or the criminal injuries compensation board?

i only ask because i have been fearful for years about our becoming a highly litigious society in which there is a feeling that "someone" must pay for any misfortune that overtakes anybody.

there are exceptions: no one would argue about the necessity of compensating the victims of medical negligence so that their quality of life can be made as good as possible. but i have never really seen why it is the business of the state to pay if you get clouted.

the whole bloody place is going to the bow wows.

Sir Compton Valence said...

oh, and by the way, did you know that the picture you used a few weeks ago of Hay book festival appeared on page 3 of the sunday telegraph this week. small world.

MacDuff said...

They must have taken it from the same spot as I did, looking down from Hay castle. My picture wasnt taken during the festival though but in April I think.
I dont object to somebody proving negligence against somebody else according to the old common law and getting compensated but I object to 'compensation' merely because they were the victim of a criminal act as opposed to any kind of cause.