Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 5.djvu/81

 PUBLIC LAW 105-301—OCT. 27, 1998 112 STAT. 2839 (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 individueds with disabilities within a State. (c) NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.— In carrying out this Contracts, 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.

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