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Victim Compensation Programs 181

identifiable third parties are present; the exact nature of the sexual behavior; whether

there is an imminent danger to others; and which third parties or authorities to no-

tify. Next, given our undeveloped knowledge about HIV and AIDS, defining which

behaviors put an individual at risk is difficult. Further, identifiable victims are often

difficult to identify because the virus can lay dormant for many years (Stanard &

Hazier, 1995). As Lamb, Clark, Drumheller, Frizzell, and Surrey (1989) note,

Given the incomplete knowledge about the diagnosis and transmission of AIDS, there is

little agreement as to who is likely to contract the disease from infected persons. Such a

lack of certainty about the conditions under which the disease can be contracted make

it even more difficult to identify a potential victim, (p. 40)

Thus, while cases such as Peter's may seem reasonably clear, others are far more

controversial. As with the transmission of most illnesses, it is nearly impossible to

identify potential victims and make a risk assessment. Thus, HIV poses yet another

difficult ethical and legal concern for psychologists to confront.

Suggestions for Future Research

Many fertile areas for future research have been addressed thus far. Generally, psy-

chology is not efficient in assessing dangerousness or determining under which

conditions dangerous behavior is likely to occur. Like other areas of civil forensics,

methods for more accurately predicting dangerousness are necessary if psychology

is going to remain in the position of interfering with individual civil rights. Further,

we must better understand which third parties are best to contact if such a decision

is reached. Clearly, as in the Tamsoff case, contacting certain third parties is often

not enough to ensure that an individual will be protected from potentially violent

acts. With regard to HIV, as our knowledge of the disease continues to grow, we

must continue to adapt our strategies for dealing with it in clinical and/or forensic

situations. As previously noted, to identify potential victims and potentially violent

behavior, we must know which individuals are at risk and under what conditions.

VICTIM COMPENSATION PROGRAMS

Introduction

In 1960, there were just over 2 million crimes reported in the United States. In 1990,
there were 14.5 million. Of the various roles that the government plays, it "guards
one's physical well-being and safety" (Chandler & Piano, 1988, p. 108). This role,
of course, is performed effectively by "providing a safe society in which to live,.. "
(Marion, 1995, p. 419). There now appears to be some contradiction between the
latter statements and those concerning the rate of crime in the United States. If we