Conclusion

Restitution to crime victims is an important criminal law objective. The act of ordering restitution serves as an acknowledgment by the criminal justice system that the victim sustained harm. Payment of restitution can help rectify that harm. Legislatures nationwide are reexamining their statutes regarding this issue and continuing to refine and expand this area of the law. Not only are legislatures acting to encourage more restitution orders, the increasing attention paid to quantifying a victim’s losses and investigating a defendant’s assets before entering restitution orders will help improve the quality and workability of such orders. Victim service providers should continue to follow developments regarding this issue and be prepared to assist crime victims who seek restitution.