NCJ Number
134278
Journal
Criminal Law Bulletin Volume: 28 Issue: 1 Dated: (January/February, 1991) Pages: 64-77
Date Published
1992
Length
14 pages
Annotation
After years of seeming indifference, both the law and the criminal justice systems have become more responsive to the concerns of crime victims.
Abstract
However, the boundaries of the law must be maintained all the more firmly in the face of counterpressures stemming from the fear and anger about crime that are associated with victims' rights movements. The social backlash against crime in some respects has blurred the distinction between victim and criminal. Victim-directed measures, such as restitution, have been implemented to provide direct redress to victims of crime. There have been proposals to amend the Federal constitution to provide victims with enforceable legal rights. And, among the more prominent types of victim-oriented measures is the widespread legislative authorization of the use of victim impact statements for sentencing purposes in criminal cases. Just as support for victims of crime has continued to grow in recent years, societal tolerance for acts of crime increasingly has waned. Constitutional safeguards and rational legal policies must be preserved, otherwise they will be added to the roster of victims of crime. 98 footnotes