Child crime victims to benefit from new victims fund

Children and young people in England and Wales who are victims
of crime stand to benefit from a new victims fund, to be paid for
by surcharging offenders for their crimes.

In proposals outlined yesterday by the Home Office, children and
young people are identified as a priority group of  crime victims.
Last year 46 per cent of secondary school pupils and 60 per cent of
excluded pupils were victims of a crime.

The new fund, expected to be worth £25 million, will be
administered by the Home Office. The government is proposing to
raise the money by placing a surcharge on criminal convictions and
fixed penalty notices issued for criminal offences.

The consultation document, ‘Compensation and Support for Victims
of Crime’, also proposes to enable the Criminal Injuries
Compensation Board to recover money from offenders, and to transfer
to employers responsibility for compensating victims of criminal
injuries sustained in the course of work.

www.homeoffice.gov.uk/inside/consults/current/index.html