The report compares the humanitarian or charity rationales with the insurance rationales of criminal injuries compensation. The insurance based schemes of Quebec, Manitoba, and British Columbia do a better job of responding to the financial needs of victims of criminal injury. Gaps abound in policy and in knowledge in the area of criminal injuries compensation. Improving recordkeeping procedures would easily fill most of these gaps. Victim compensation is neither the best nor the complete answer to the needs of victims. It does a small number of people a little good, but helps too few and too small an extent. An effort to clearly educate the public and expand the programs is necessary for further progress. The appendix presents five tables. Five charts, 76 footnotes, and 34 references are included. (Author abstract modified)