🚨 Crime Victim Impact Assessment

Today Korean Social News for Beginners | 2025.11.19

0️⃣ Victim Protection System Blocked by Budget Shortage, Implementation Rate Below 1%

📌 10 Years After Introduction, Crime Victim Assessment Still Below 1%… Budget Shortage to Blame

💬 The 'Crime Victim Impact Assessment' system, which comprehensively evaluates victims' physical, psychological, economic, and social damages to reflect them in criminal procedures, is not functioning properly due to budget shortage. After pilot introduction in 2016 and nationwide expansion in 2023, only 1,640 assessments were conducted out of about 260,000 violent crime cases from January to August this year, resulting in an implementation rate of just 0.6%. Crime Victim Impact Assessment is a system where experts directly interview victims and conduct psychological tests to objectively evaluate the degree of damage, reflecting it in sentencing, warrant requests, and investigation decisions. While victim satisfaction is high, most victims cannot receive benefits because the budget cannot keep up with demand. Police explain they operate within budget constraints by setting priorities, but next year's budget plan is also far insufficient to meet expected demand. Experts point out that budget expansion and raising system awareness are urgent to realize the system's purpose of protecting victim rights.

💡 Summary

• Crime Victim Impact Assessment is a system where experts evaluate victims' specific damages to reflect them in criminal procedures.
• Despite nationwide expansion in 2023, the implementation rate is only 0.6% due to budget shortage, making the system's purpose meaningless.
• While victim satisfaction is high, the budget is far too insufficient compared to demand, leaving most victims without benefits.

1️⃣ Definition

Crime Victim Impact Assessment means a system where counseling and psychological experts comprehensively evaluate physical, mental, economic, and social damages suffered by crime victims, and reflect the results in criminal procedures such as sentencing, warrant requests, and investigation decisions. It was established to allow victims to fully express their opinions in criminal procedures and receive damage recovery and protection.

Assessments are divided into basic assessments and expedited assessments. Basic assessments take about 2-3 weeks to interview victims and conduct psychological tests to comprehensively evaluate the damage situation. Expedited assessments complete the evaluation within 3-5 days in urgent situations such as arrest warrant requests. The assessment results are submitted to prosecutors and courts, serving as important reference materials for determining offender sentencing or warrant issuance.

💡 Why Is This Important?

• The actual degree of damage to crime victims can be properly reflected in criminal procedures.
• It is an essential system for protecting victim rights and damage recovery.
• It can balance appropriate punishment for offenders and victim protection.
• It is an important mechanism to prevent victims from being marginalized in criminal procedures.

2️⃣ Current Status and Problems of Crime Victim Impact Assessment

📕 System Introduction and Expansion Process

• It started with pilot introduction in 2016. The main progress is as follows:

  • Crime Victim Impact Assessment began pilot implementation in some regions in 2016.
  • It was a system to address the problem of victims' specific damage situations not being reflected in criminal procedures.
  • Pilot operation results showed high victim satisfaction, confirming the system's necessity.
  • It was gradually expanded afterward and an institutional foundation was established.

• It was expanded nationwide in 2023. The main changes are as follows:

  • From 2023, crime victim assessments could be requested at all police stations nationwide.
  • The scope expanded from violent crime victims to victims of various crime types.
  • Assessment specialized agencies increased and assessment personnel expanded.
  • However, the problem emerged that budget increase speed could not keep up with demand growth.

📕 Reality of Low Implementation Rate

• The implementation rate doesn't even reach 1%. The main situation is as follows:

  • From January to August 2025, the number of violent crime cases received was about 260,000.
  • During the same period, only 1,640 crime victim assessments were conducted.
  • The implementation rate was 0.6%, with over 99% of victims not receiving assessments.
  • Two years after nationwide expansion, only a very small number still receive benefits.

• Budget shortage is the biggest cause. The main problems are as follows:

  • The cost per crime victim assessment is about 800,000 won for basic assessment and about 400,000 won for expedited assessment.
  • The 2025 government budget plan only reflects about 1,900 basic assessments and 420 expedited assessments.
  • This is about 2 billion won annually, far insufficient to meet violent crime demand.
  • Police are operating by setting priorities considering case severity and necessity within limited budget.

📕 System Operation Limitations

• Victim accessibility is low. The main problems are as follows:

  • Many victims don't even know about the existence of the crime victim assessment system.
  • Without active police guidance, it's difficult for victims to apply on their own.
  • Due to budget constraints, police sometimes cannot guide all victims about the system.
  • There's an accessibility gap due to uneven distribution of assessment agencies and specialized personnel by region.

• Improving assessment result utilization is needed. The main tasks are as follows:

  • There's insufficient data on how much assessment results are actually reflected in sentencing or investigation decisions.
  • Institutional mechanisms for prosecutors and judges to fully consider assessment results are weak.
  • Continuous quality management is needed to increase the reliability and objectivity of assessment results.
  • Follow-up support systems should be strengthened so victims can receive practical damage recovery and protection through assessment results.

💡 Main Issues of Crime Victim Impact Assessment System

1. Budget Shortage: About 2 billion won annually cannot meet demand, leaving most victims without benefits
2. Low Awareness: Many cases where victims don't know about the system's existence or how to apply
3. Accessibility Gap: Uneven distribution of assessment agencies and specialized personnel by region creates regional disparities
4. Priority Selection: Unclear criteria for which cases to prioritize with limited budget
5. Securing Effectiveness: Unclear how much assessment results are actually reflected in criminal procedures

3️⃣ Improvement Plans for Crime Victim Impact Assessment System

✅ Budget Expansion and Securing Stable Financial Resources

• Gradual budget increase is needed. The main directions are as follows:

  • The current 2 billion won budget should be gradually expanded to at least 10 billion won.
  • A mid-term goal should be set so at least 10% of violent crimes can receive assessments.
  • Victim support budget should be established as a separate item to secure stable financial resources.
  • Plans should be explored to utilize various financial sources such as crime victim funds.

• Cost efficiency must be increased. The main plans are as follows:

  • Assessment types should be subdivided to allow selection of appropriate assessment methods for case characteristics.
  • Non-face-to-face methods such as online interviews or video psychological tests can be introduced to reduce costs.
  • A cooperation network between assessment agencies should be established to efficiently utilize resources.
  • Specialized personnel training programs should be expanded to strengthen assessment capabilities.

✅ Raising System Awareness and Strengthening Accessibility

• Active promotion and guidance are needed. The main plans are as follows:

  • Police should be required to inform all victims about the crime victim assessment system when receiving crime reports.
  • A promotion network should be established in cooperation with victim support organizations, hospitals, and legal aid agencies.
  • A window for easy application should be created using online and mobile platforms.
  • Guidance materials should be provided in various languages so foreign victims can also access the system.

• Regional disparities must be resolved. The main tasks are as follows:

  • Resources should be allocated first to regions lacking assessment agencies and specialized personnel.
  • A system should be created where regional hub assessment agencies are designated to support nearby areas.
  • A remote assessment system should be established to overcome physical distance constraints.
  • Operating mobile assessment teams that directly visit areas with difficult access can also be considered.

✅ Improving Assessment Result Effectiveness

• Utilization in criminal procedures must be increased. The main directions are as follows:

  • Legal grounds should be strengthened so prosecutors and judges must review assessment results.
  • Guidelines should be prepared to specifically reflect assessment results in sentencing standards.
  • Support should be provided so assessment results can be submitted together with victim statements to increase persuasiveness.
  • The actual impact of assessment results on judgments should be tracked and analyzed to improve the system.

• Victim protection and recovery support must be linked. The main plans are as follows:

  • An integrated system should be established that links customized psychological treatment, legal support, and economic support according to assessment results.
  • Assessment results should be actively utilized when applying for victim protection orders to increase effectiveness.
  • Additional support needs discovered during the assessment process should be quickly linked to relevant agencies.
  • A system should be established to monitor long-term damage recovery progress and provide continuous support.

4️⃣ Related Terms Explanation

🔎 Crime Victim Protection System

• The crime victim protection system is a legal and institutional framework that guarantees and supports victim rights.
  • The crime victim protection system refers to a comprehensive system where the state and society support guaranteeing the rights of people who suffered damage from crimes and recovering physical, mental, and economic damages. Korea guarantees victim rights through the Constitution and the Crime Victim Protection Act.
  • Major systems include: First, there's a crime victim relief fund payment system. The state provides medical expenses, funeral expenses, living expenses, etc. to victims or bereaved families. Second, psychological counseling, legal support, and medical support are provided through crime victim support centers. Third, victim statement rights, opinion statement rights, and trial participation rights are guaranteed in criminal procedures. Fourth, the crime victim assessment system reflects victims' specific damage situations in criminal procedures.
  • Crime victim assessment is part of this victim protection system and is an important mechanism to allow victims to fully express their damages without being marginalized in criminal procedures. In the past, victims merely played a role in providing evidence, but the criminal justice paradigm is now changing toward emphasizing victim human rights and recovery.

🔎 Basic Assessment and Expedited Assessment

• Basic assessment and expedited assessment are two types of crime victim assessment.
  • Basic assessment is the most common assessment method, conducting multiple interviews with victims over 2-3 weeks and various psychological tests to comprehensively evaluate all aspects of damage. It carefully identifies physical injuries, mental trauma, economic losses, social relationship changes, etc., and prepares a detailed report.
  • Expedited assessment is a method that completes evaluation within 3-5 days in situations requiring quick judgment such as arrest warrant requests or emergency protection measures. Though more simplified than basic assessment, it evaluates focusing on the victim's main damage situation and immediate protection needs. It's a system to allow victim opinions to be reflected in criminal procedures even in time-pressed situations.
  • Both assessments are conducted by counseling and psychological experts, preparing objective and reliable assessment reports by combining interview records, psychological test results, medical records, etc. Assessment results are submitted to prosecutors and courts for use as reference materials in sentencing, warrant issuance, protection measure decisions, etc. Victims can choose the assessment type, and police may also recommend based on case urgency and necessity.

🔎 Sentencing Consideration

• Sentencing consideration refers to various circumstances considered when determining sentence length in trials.
  • Sentencing consideration means the court comprehensively considers the severity of the crime, the defendant's situation, and the victim's circumstances when deciding the type and range of sentence to impose on the defendant. Even for the same crime, sentence length can vary according to specific circumstances, and courts consider various factors for this.
  • Sentencing consideration factors include: First, the crime's motive, means, and severity of results are considered. Second, the defendant's age, character, criminal record, and degree of remorse are judged. Third, whether there was settlement with the victim and efforts for damage recovery are treated importantly. Fourth, the victim's degree of damage and desire for punishment are considered. Fifth, social impact and possibility of recidivism are also considered.
  • Crime victim assessment plays an important role precisely in this sentencing consideration stage. When victims' specific physical, mental, economic, and social damages are objectively proven, courts can consider this to determine appropriate sentences. For example, even if assault appears minor on the surface, if the victim is suffering serious mental trauma, the sentence can be increased. Conversely, if damage recovery is sufficient and the victim forgives, the sentence may be reduced. Crime victim assessment provides objective grounds for such judgments.

🔎 Warrant Substantive Review

• Warrant substantive review is a procedure where courts decide whether to issue arrest warrants.
  • Warrant substantive review means when prosecutors request arrest warrants from courts to detain suspects, the court directly questions the suspect to judge the necessity and legality of detention. It's the core of the warrant system guaranteed by the Constitution and Criminal Procedure Act, a system to prevent unjust detention.
  • In warrant substantive review, courts: First, examine whether there's suspicion of crime. Second, judge whether there's concern about evidence destruction or flight. Third, consider the suspect's right to defense and human rights. Fourth, evaluate the crime's severity and possibility of recidivism. Fifth, victim safety and protection needs are also important factors.
  • The expedited assessment of crime victim assessment is utilized precisely in this warrant substantive review stage. If victims suffered serious damage and there's danger of additional harm or retaliation if the perpetrator is released, expedited assessment results can be submitted as objective evidence. For example, in domestic violence cases, if victims are suffering extreme fear and anxiety, this can be proven to lead to perpetrator detention. Conversely, if damage is judged minor, it may be converted to investigation without detention. Since expedited assessment is completed within 3-5 days, assessment results can be submitted timely to match warrant substantive review schedules.

🔎 Crime Victim Protection Act

• The Crime Victim Protection Act is a law that comprehensively regulates the protection and support of crime victims.
  • The Crime Victim Protection Act is a law enacted to guarantee the human dignity and value of crime victims and provide necessary protection and support for their recovery. It stipulates matters such as the state's responsibility to protect victims, victim support systems, victim statement rights, and victim relief funds.
  • The law's main contents include: First, it stipulates the state and local governments' responsibilities for victim protection. Second, it regulates the establishment and operation of crime victim support centers. Third, it guarantees victims' rights to participate in criminal procedures. Fourth, it stipulates victim relief fund payment standards and procedures. Fifth, it provides legal grounds for specialized protection measures for special victim groups such as child and sexual violence victims.
  • Crime victim assessment is based on this Crime Victim Protection Act and plays a role as a specific mechanism to guarantee victim rights in criminal procedures. The law emphasizes that the state should actively protect victims, and crime victim assessment is a representative measure to realize this. For the system to function effectively, related laws must continue to be improved and sufficient budgets must be secured.

5️⃣ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Who can apply for crime victim assessment, when, and how?

A: Any crime victim can apply to police during the investigation process, and the cost is covered by the state.

• Crime victim assessment can be applied for by anyone who suffered crime damage. All crime types including sexual violence, domestic violence, murder, robbery, and assault are covered, with priority support especially for serious crimes or serious damage cases. Applications can be made by directly requesting at the police station investigating the case, with police officers guiding about the system and helping with application procedures. You can apply anytime from right after reporting to before trial, but it's better to apply as soon as possible.
• Assessment costs are fully covered by the national budget, so victims don't need to bear any burden. However, since budget is limited, not all applications are immediately accepted, with priorities determined considering case severity and necessity. Once assessment is decided, a specialized assessment agency will contact you to coordinate interview schedules. Victims talk with experts in a comfortable environment and receive psychological tests, with assessment results submitted to prosecution and courts.

Q: Does receiving crime victim assessment always increase the perpetrator's sentence?

A: Not necessarily, as assessment results are one of several reference materials courts consider when determining appropriate sentences.

• Assessment results don't automatically increase perpetrator sentences. Assessment results are one of several factors courts consider when deciding sentencing, with final sentences determined by courts comprehensively judging all circumstances. However, if assessment proves victims' damages specifically and objectively, courts are more likely to consider this importantly.
• For example, in an assault case, if assessment results show the victim suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and daily life has become difficult, courts can determine sentences considering not just physical injury but also mental damage. Conversely, if damage recovery is sufficient and the victim forgives, sentences may be reduced. What's important is that assessment results reveal the case's substantial truth and help courts make fair and reasonable judgments.

Q: With such low implementation rate, is the crime victim assessment system effective?

A: While victim satisfaction is high, most cannot receive benefits due to budget shortage, making budget expansion urgent.

• Victim satisfaction with crime victim assessment is very high. Victims find great comfort in having their damages objectively assessed and reflected in criminal procedures, with many cases showing positive impacts on sentencing or protection measures. The system itself is evaluated as a highly effective means of protecting victim rights.
• The problem is insufficient budget prevents the system's potential from being fully realized. The 0.6% implementation rate shows the system isn't functioning properly. Experts point out that at least 10% of violent crimes should receive assessment for the system's purpose to be realized. This requires expanding the budget to more than 5 times current levels and greatly increasing assessment agencies and specialized personnel. Actively promoting the system to victims and investigative agencies to raise awareness is also important. Budget expansion and system improvement to increase effectiveness are urgent tasks.

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