The Scope of Compensation by the State in Unintentional Crimes (Through a Look at British Law)

Unintentional crimes are always accompanied by harms and damages to the victim and compensation of such damages is of paramount importance; while in some cases punishing the one who has committed the crime is not the main concern of the victim or his/her heirs. On the other hand, sometimes, because of financial inability of the one who has to pay blood-money or since he has died or escaped compensation of damages is not possible. For the same reason, in Iranian Law, such damages are compensated by paying blood-money from the public treasury. Nevertheless, the State compensates damages in certain cases and this is far from the ideal conditions. It is necessary that compensation, in unintentional crimes, be done in a more consistent way and its scope be expanded. In the British legal system a kind of compensation by the State may be seen; but it is only by its name a governmental compensation and it is people who pay for compensation and not the State. A passing look at this legal system will show the situation.