Government Obligation to Provide Victim Compensation
This paper discusses two key philosophical arguments supporting victim compensation programs. First, it examines the government's fundamental duty to protect its citizens and the obligation to provide compensation when that duty is breached. Second, it addresses the moral imperative to restore victims to their original state after violent crime, acknowledging the profound psychological and physical harm such crimes inflict. The paper refutes common objections—that harm cannot be quantified and that programs are too costly—by drawing parallels to insurance practices and noting that untreated trauma creates greater societal harm. The analysis concludes that victim compensation serves both justice and practical human needs.
- Introduction to Victim Compensation: Definition and purpose of victim compensation programs
- The Government's Duty to Protect: Government obligation and breach of protective duty
- Restoration and Moral Obligation: Moral imperative to restore victims after crime
- Addressing Common Objections: Rebuttals to quantification and cost arguments
- Conclusion: Justice and Prevention: Collective self-interest in supporting all victims
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What makes this paper effective
- Uses concrete historical examples (9/11 compensation, Amber Alert system) to ground abstract philosophical arguments in real-world application.
- Directly engages counterarguments, showing that common objections (inability to quantify harm, fiscal burden) can be rebutted with practical reasoning.
- Distinguishes between compensation (government-paid) and restitution (offender-paid), clarifying terminology and broadening the scope beyond purely financial remedies.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper employs a claim-and-counterclaim structure, systematically presenting two philosophical bases for victim compensation, then preemptively addressing the strongest objections. This rhetorical strategy strengthens the argument by showing intellectual honesty and allowing the author to reframe opposing points as less compelling than they initially appear.
Structure breakdown
The essay opens with a definition and explanation of victim compensation's purpose. The second section develops the protection-duty argument through examples like 9/11 and child safety legislation. The third section articulates the restoration-obligation argument, emphasizing psychological and physical harm. The fourth section tackles objections by analogy (insurance) and pragmatism (untreated trauma costs more). The conclusion emphasizes that all citizens could become victims, making victim support a form of collective self-interest.
Introduction to Victim Compensation
Victim compensation programs entail giving payments to the victims of violent crimes (Doerner & Lab 2014: 20). The intention behind them is to create a system that enforces justice and restores the victim as much as possible to his or her original state. The victims of many violent crimes such as domestic violence and child abuse often suffer profound psychological impact for which they need additional support simply to feel normal again. As Schultz (1975) notes, "The rationale for victim compensation rests on a moral concern for the welfare of the injured citizen, and the current lack of any effective compensation provisions results in punishment for crime victims." Simply incarcerating the perpetrator does not undo the often irreparable harm to the victim in body, mind, and spirit.
An important distinction exists between compensation and restitution. "Compensation refers to monies paid by the government, or by another party unrelated to the offender, to the victims of crime" versus restitution made directly by the offender. In compensation programs, "the amount of monies paid typically reflects the nature and extent of the injury suffered by the victim" ("Victim compensation fund," 2015). Proponents of victim compensation have developed several philosophical arguments supporting the government's obligation to provide such programs, two of which warrant careful examination.
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