The European Convention on the Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes: A Decade of Frustration

In July 1983, after nearly a decade of discussion, the Council of Europe adopted the European Convention on the Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes. The Convention seeks to harmonize Europe\u27s existing crime victims compensation schemes by providing a set of guidelines for the treatment of domestic and foreign crime victims. The Convention thereby seeks to establish consistent victims compensation schemes in its member states. This Note argues that the Convention fails to address adequately the problem of cost, thus failing in its goal of uniformity. Part I of this Note discusses the theory of victims compensation and the Convention. Part II analyzes the various compensation provisions of several Council of Europe member states. Part III argues that the inadequacy of funding for victims compensation is frustrating the Convention\u27s goal of uniformity and proposes an amendment to the Convention to rectify this problem. This Note concludes that the Convention will only achieve its goal of unifying the compensation of victims if it is amended