NCJ Number
229455
Date Published
2010
Length
362 pages
Annotation
This book describes constitutional and legislative provisions addressing crime victim rights and remedies, presents the current state of law, analyzes existing policy, describes the status of implementation of rights and remedies, and introduces relevant empirical research.
Abstract
This book addresses the evolution of key crime victim rights and includes State constitutional amendments, legislation, court decisions, and empirical studies completed since the first edition in 2001. An expanded Federal section regarding each right and remedy reflected in the Crime Victims' Rights Act of 2004 and related court decisions has been added. Prior to the 1970's, crime victims had limited formal rights and remedies in the American justice system. With the victims' movement of the 1970's and guidance supplied by the national Task Force on Victims of Crime, convened by President Reagan in 1982, Federal and State authorization of crime victim rights and remedies increased exponentially. There are currently tens of thousands of statutes which directly or indirectly affect crime victim rights and interests, as well as victim-related constitutional provisions in a majority of States. This second edition consists of 11 chapters covering the past, present, and future of crime victim rights and remedies; 3 appendices detailing recommendations of the Task Force on Victims of Crime, the proposed Federal victim rights constitutional amendment, and State victim rights constitutional provisions; and references detailing chapter notes, comprehensive listing of court cases, and subject index.