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Criminals Should Compensate Victims, Says New FindLaw Survey
EAGAN, Minn., Apr. 19 -- An overwhelming majority of Americans believe that criminals should be required to compensate their victims, according to a new poll by the legal Web site FindLaw (www.findlaw.com).
Eighty-four percent of those surveyed said criminals should provide compensation to their victims. Thirteen percent disagreed. Three percent had no opinion or no response. Each year, about one and a half million violent crimes, such as murder, rape and aggravated assault, are committed in the U.S., according to the F.B.I.'s Uniform Crime Reports. More than ten million property crimes, such as burglary, larceny and theft, are committed each year.
The week of April 18-24, 2004 commemorates the 24th anniversary of National Crime Victims' Rights Week. Twenty-four years ago, crime victims had few participatory rights in our nation's criminal and juvenile justice systems. Assistance and services were limited and countless victims endured their trauma and pain alone, with little guidance or help in dealing with the aftermath of crime. Since that time, more than 30,000 federal, state and local laws have been passed that promote victims' rights, such as counseling services and the ability to participate in sentencing and parole hearings.
Free Internet resources, such as FindLaw's Crime Victims Resources Center (http://criminal.findlaw.com/crimes/crime_victims.html), can provide additional helpful information on compensation, along with links to national, state and non-profit resources for crime victims. Online resources such as FindLaw's Personal Injury Center (http://public.findlaw.com/pi/) contain helpful information on the ability of victims of crime to pursue civil lawsuits, and directories for finding a lawyer.
About FindLaw
FindLaw www.findlaw.comis the leading provider of online legal information and solutions for the legal community, businesses and individuals. The FindLaw Internet portal is the highest-trafficked legal Web site, according to leading independent Internet-traffic-monitoring services. The site provides comprehensive, plain-English legal information to businesses and individuals. These resources include West Legal Directory®, the Internet's largest directory of lawyers and legal professionals. FindLaw also offers comprehensive information, resources and services for law practice and legal career development, including free case law, an online career center, breaking legal news, newsletters, message boards, service directories, continuing legal education and legal search tools. In addition, FindLaw provides access to tools and services that help connect legal professionals with potential clients. FindLaw is a business within The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC).
About The Thomson Corporation
The Thomson Corporation (www.thomson.com), with 2003 revenues of $7.6 billion, is a global leader in providing integrated information solutions to business and professional customers. Thomson provides value-added information, software tools and applications to more than 20 million users in the fields of law, tax, accounting, financial services, higher education, reference information, corporate training and assessment, scientific research and healthcare. With operational headquarters in Stamford, Conn., Thomson has approximately 39,000 employees and provides services in approximately 130 countries. The Corporation's common shares are listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC).