The Cost of Being a Victim

As far as we know, the last time a federal study has been done on the cost of victimization was back in 1996.  A lot has changed since then, but what hasn’t changed is the fact that crime costs.  Crime costs victims, crime costs communities, crime costs period.  These costs are seen in different ways; financially, emotionally, physically, spiritually.  Our trust may be broken, faith shattered, finances exhausted, body broken, bruised or destroyed, our ability to emotionally adjust to new normals, overwhelming.  Some crime victims have lost everything, including the person(s) they love.  Loses can include the loss of home, family, vehicle, job, finances, sense of security, friends, family, etc.

Crime victims may be offered financial resources through the Victims of Crime Compensation Fund.  This fund allows for payment of counseling services, possibly lost wages, medical coverage, burial expenses, but these funds are capped and do not cover all costs victims are left with after victimization.  Victims are left to figure out how to survive, how to rebuild, how to adjust to life after victimization on their own.

The following link is to the most recent study we know of regarding the cost of crime victimization https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/155282rp.pdf.  What we do know for certain is that the cost of crime is extensive and impossible to fully restore.