Police rules block criminal injuries compensation
25 Mar 08
Delays in releasing of information causing long waits for payouts
Delays to the release of basic crime information means victims of violent crime have to wait months for compensation, according to an article in today's Scotsman.
Compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) takes an average 371 days to come through in Scotland because police do not make information available until court proceedings conclude, the article states.
In England and Wales, a 30-day target has now been set for the release of information to support applications to CICA.
Victim Support Scotland wants to see a similar practice in Scotland, as CICA does not require a case to be solved before it makes an award.