I might say the great majority of these citizens lived in the inner city and the great majority of them were black.

These innocent men and women had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Those who survived their assailant often suffered severe physical harm and economic loss from not being able to work.

England has had a Criminal Compensation Commission since 1964 and four States, including my own State of Maryland, have recently enacted similar legislation.

While it is too early to determine the long-range effect of compensating victims of crime, it is not too early for Congress to give consideration to the concept.

I will now place in the record a copy of S. 2936, a bill to provide for the compensation of persons injured by certain criminal acts in the District of Columbia, and also a copy of the staff memorandum concerning that bill.

(The bill and staff memorandum follow :)

91ST CONGRESS 1ST SESSION

S. 2936

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

SEPTEMBER 19, 1969

Mr. YARBOROUGH introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia

A BILL

To provide for the compensation of persons injured by certain criminal acts in the District of Columbia.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa

2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, TITLE I-SHORT TITLE AND DEFINITIONS

3

5 SEC. 101. This Act may be cited as the "District of Co

6 lumbia Criminal Injuries Compensation Act".

7

8

9

10

11

DEFINITIONS

II

SEC. 102. As used in this Act

(1) the term "child" means an unmarried person

who is under eighteen years of age and includes a stepchild, an adopted child;

2

(2) the term "Commission" means the District of Columbia Violent Crimes Compensation Commission established by this Act;

(3) the term "dependents" means those who were wholly or partially dependent upon his income at the time of his death or would have been so dependent but for the incapacity due to the injury from which the death resulted and shall include the child of such victim born after his death;

(4) the term "personal injury" means actual bodily harm and includes pregnancy and mental or nervous shock;

(5) the term "relative" means the spouse, parent, grandparent, stepfather, stepmother, child, grandchild, brother, sister, half brother, or half sister of the victim; and

(6) the term "victim" means a person who is injured or killed by any act or omission of any other person which is within the description of any of the

offenses specified in section 302 of this Act.

3

1

2

3

4

TITLE II-ESTABLISHMENT OF VIOLENT

CRIMES COMPENSATION COMMISSION

VIOLENT CRIMES COMPENSATION COMMISSION

SEC. 201. (a) There is established a District of Co5 lumbia Violent Crimes Compensation Commission which 6 shall be composed of three members to be appointed by the 7 President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, 8 solely on the grounds of fitness to perform the duties of the 9 office. The President shall designate one of the members of 10 the Commission who has been a member of the bar of a 11 Federal court or of the highest court of a State for at least 12 eight years as Chairman.

13

(b) No member of the Commission shall engage in any

14 other business, vocation, or employment.

15

(c) The Chairman and one other member of the Com16 mission shall constitute a quorum, except as provided in sec17 tion 205 (b); and where opinion is divided and only one 18 other member is present, the opinion of the Chairman shall 19 prevail.

20

(d) The Commission shall have an official seal.

1

2

4

TERMS AND COMPENSATION OF MEMBERS

SEC. 202. (a) The term of office of each member of the 3 Commission taking office after December 31, 1969, shall be 4 eight years, except that (1) the terms of office of the mem5 bers first taking office after December 31, 1969, shall expire 6 as designated by the President at the time of the appoint7 ment, one at the end of four years, one at the end of six 8 years, and one at the end of eight years, after December 31, 9 1969; and (2) any member appointed to fill a vacancy 10 occurring prior to the expiration of the terms for which his 11 predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the 12 remainder of such term.

13

(b) Each member of the Commission shall be eligible 14 for reappointment.

1.5

(c) A vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its

16 powers.

17 (d) Any member of the Commission may be removed 18 by the President for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or mal19 feasance in office.

20

(e) Each member of the Commission shall be compen21 sated at the rate prescribed for level IV under subsection 22 5315 of title 5, United States Code, except the Chairman 23 who shall be compensated at the rate prescribed for level III 24 under section 5314 of such title.