S. 1976

One Hundred Fifth Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE SECOND SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,

the twenty-seventh day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight

An Act

To increase public awareness of the plight of victims of crime with developmental

disabilities, to collect data to measure the magnitude of the problem, and to

develop strategies to address the safety and justice needs of victims of crime

with developmental disabilities.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of

the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Crime Victims With Disabilities

Awareness Act’’.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES.

(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that—

(1) although research conducted abroad demonstrates that

individuals with developmental disabilities are at a 4 to 10

times higher risk of becoming crime victims than those without

disabilities, there have been no significant studies on this subject conducted in the United States;

(2) in fact, the National Crime Victim’s Survey, conducted

annually by the Bureau of Justice Statistics of the Department

of Justice, does not specifically collect data relating to crimes

against individuals with developmental disabilities;

(3) studies in Canada, Australia, and Great Britain consistently show that victims with developmental disabilities suffer

repeated victimization because so few of the crimes against

them are reported, and even when they are, there is sometimes

a reluctance by police, prosecutors, and judges to rely on the

testimony of a disabled individual, making individuals with

developmental disabilities a target for criminal predators;

(4) research in the United States needs to be done to—

(A) understand the nature and extent of crimes against

individuals with developmental disabilities;

(B) describe the manner in which the justice system

responds to crimes against individuals with developmental

disabilities; and

(C) identify programs, policies, or laws that hold promises for making the justice system more responsive to

crimes against individuals with developmental disabilities;

and

(5) the National Academy of Science Committee on Law

and Justice of the National Research Council is a premier

research institution with unique experience in developing seminal, multidisciplinary studies to establish a strong research

base from which to make public policy.
S. 1976—2

(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are—

(1) to increase public awareness of the plight of victims

of crime who are individuals with developmental disabilities;

(2) to collect data to measure the extent of the problem

of crimes against individuals with developmental disabilities;

and

(3) to develop a basis to find new strategies to address

the safety and justice needs of victims of crime who are individuals with developmental disabilities.

SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY.

In this Act, the term ‘‘developmental disability’’ has the meaning given the term in section 102 of the Developmental Disabilities

Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (42 U.S.C. 6001).

SEC. 4. STUDY.

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall conduct a study

to increase knowledge and information about crimes against individuals with developmental disabilities that will be useful in developing

new strategies to reduce the incidence of crimes against those

individuals.

(b) ISSUES ADDRESSED.—The study conducted under this section

shall address such issues as—

(1) the nature and extent of crimes against individuals

with developmental disabilities;

(2) the risk factors associated with victimization of individuals with developmental disabilities;

(3) the manner in which the justice system responds to

crimes against individuals with developmental disabilities; and

(4) the means by which States may establish and maintain

a centralized computer database on the incidence of crimes

against individuals with disabilities within a State.

(c) NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.—In carrying out this

section, the Attorney General shall consider contracting with the

Committee on Law and Justice of the National Research Council

of the National Academy of Sciences to provide research for the

study conducted under this section.

(d) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall submit to the Committees on the Judiciary of the Senate and the House of Representatives

a report describing the results of the study conducted under this

section.
S. 1976—3

SEC. 5. NATIONAL CRIME VICTIM’S SURVEY.

Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this

Act, as part of each National Crime Victim’s Survey, the Attorney

General shall include statistics relating to—

(1) the nature of crimes against individuals with developmental disabilities; and

(2) the specific characteristics of the victims of those crimes.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.