SC underscores lapses in extending compensation to victims of crime, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court highlighted lapses in extending compensation to crime victims, noting a lack of awareness and forgotten orders by trial judges.
• Section 396 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, mandates State governments to create victim compensation schemes.
• Trial courts are crucial in recommending financial compensation to victims, acting as a restorative measure.
• The Supreme Court directed Special/Sessions Courts to pass appropriate directions regarding victim compensation.

Detailed Insights:

• The death of an intellectually disabled rape survivor after years of waiting for compensation prompted the Supreme Court's intervention.
• The compensation aims to rehabilitate victims who have suffered loss or injury due to crime.
• Sessions and special courts can recommend compensation if the penal statute's allowance is insufficient for rehabilitation.
• The Supreme Court's order seeks to streamline implementation through State, District, and Taluk Legal Services Authorities.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Victim Compensation Scheme: State-run programs providing funds to victims of crime for rehabilitation.
• Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023: Replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure, outlining victim compensation provisions.
• Rehabilitative Measure: Actions taken to restore victims of crime to a functional life.