But an Associated Press examination found that Black victims and their families are disproportionately denied compensation in many states, often for subjective reasons that experts say are rooted in racial biases. “But believe me when I say, not my son.”ĭebra Long had bumped up against a well-intentioned corner of the criminal justice system that is often perceived as unfair.Įvery state has a program to reimburse victims for lost wages, medical bills, funerals and other expenses, awarding hundreds of millions in aid each year. It felt like they saw a young African American man who was shot and killed and assumed he must have been doing something wrong,” Long said. His mother, angry and bewildered by the letter, wondered: What did authorities see - or fail to see - in Randy? Randy was a father, engaged to be married and studying to become a juvenile probation officer when his life was cut short during a visit to Brooklyn with friends. Without further explanation, the New York state agency that assists violent-crime victims and their families refused to help pay for his funeral. It began “Dear Claimant,” and said her 24-year-old son, Randy, who was fatally shot in April 2006, was not an “innocent” victim. (AP) - The cold formality of the letter is seared in Debra Long’s memory.
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