NCJ Number
84011
Journal
Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology Volume: 73 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring 1982) Pages: 317-329
Date Published
1982
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Interviews with 200 victims before and after sentencing of the offender show that victims' court attendance improves victims' evaluations of sentencing, while negative attitudes toward sentencing increase at learning case outcomes; contacts with case professionals tend to increase victims' negative attitudes toward the offender.
Abstract
The study is based on the premise that victims should be informed about and involved in the criminal justice process, although very little is known about victims' experiences in the criminal justice process. Notwithstanding this study's finding of the negative consequences of victims' learning the outcomes of their cases and the victims' increased attributions of irresponsibility and immaturity to the accused as a result of contact with defense counsel and other agents of the system, the data do provide some support for the involvement of victims in the criminal justice process. The study demonstrates that victims who have almost no exposure to the criminal justice process (do not attend court or know the case outcome) respond similarly to those who have full exposure to the criminal justice process, particularly in attitudes toward court sentencing. Thus, there is no empirical reason not to make every effort to involve victims in the criminal justice process, given the premise that they have a right to such involvement. Tabular data and 11 footnotes are provided. (Author summary modified)