Information and recommendations came from crime victims, representatives of national victim advocacy and service organizations, criminal justice practitioners, allied professionals, and others. Thirty-two nationally recognized experts developed background papers on the topics addressed in the report. Findings revealed that major strides have occurred to enact victims’ rights laws and deliver victim services. However, serious deficiencies remain in both the laws and their implementation. Victims’ rights vary significantly among states and at the Federal level and often are ignored. Implementation is often arbitrary and based on the individual practices and preferences of criminal justice officials. In addition, many States do not provide comprehensive rights for victims of juvenile offenders. Moreover, the rights extended to victims differ dramatically or do not exist at all in tribal, military, and administrative proceedings. Recommended actions include the passage of a Federal Victims’ Rights Constitutional Amendment and the enactment and enforcement of consistent basic rights for crime victims in Federal, State, juvenile, military, and tribal justice systems and in administrative proceedings. Further actions include provision of all crime victims with access to comprehensive, quality services; integration of victims’ issues into all levels of the educational system; supporting and improving promising practices in victims’ rights and services; and ensuring that victims’ views have a central role in responses to violence and victims. Chapter reference notes and appended lists of project staff and contributors to the report
New Directions From the Field: Victims' Rights and Services for the 21st Century (pt.I): Including "Strategies for Implementation Tools for Action Guide" (pt. II)
NCJ Number
179558
Date Published
May 2000
Length
465 pages
Publication Series
Annotation
This report focuses on how victims’ rights and services have been realized since the 1982 Final Report of the President’s Task Force on Victims of Crime; the report and recommendations resulted from over 3 years’ work by more than 1,000 individuals in different professions.
Abstract
Date Published: May 1, 2000