Assignment 2: Effects of crime and how the public services support victims and witnesses of crime
In a criminal investigation case, a victim is usually seeking justice for an offence against them personally. Victims can
Victimology in its most simple form is the study of the victim or victims of a particular offender (Roberson. & Wallace, 2011). I feel that the Victims’ Movement has not yet reached its full potential because just like every form of law, legislature or even government there is always ways to improve and to become stronger. Much like when we started to form our government it had so many flaws and it still today has the ability to improve. The problem is that as society changes and crime changes the laws and the system have to change with it in order for things to improve. When it comes to crimes it isn’t just the victim that is
Like the media, the criminal justice system and organisations in and around the criminal justice system play a major contribution in the construction of an ‘ideal victim’. As stated by ‘….Rock (2006), Institutional practices shape the public representations and private understandings of victims of crime’. For instance, in Australia there are many organisations that help victims and their families of serious crimes. Although on the other hand, there are limited or no services available to victims of minor crimes.
The criminal justice system is often criticized for re-victimizing victims of crime. What changes could the “system” make in order to minimize the re-victimizationexperience for victims of crime? Include examples from the criminal justice system, victim services and the
It is cathartic for the victim as it allows them to articulate to the courts the impact and elaborate about the crime and the aftermath that followed
All the components of the criminal justice have the same goal in mind: preventing and fighting crime. Preventing and fighting crime also includes providing services for the victims of the crimes. Although the main focus on the criminal justice system is to arrest, prosecute and rehabilitate the criminal, many forget to focus on the victim. The National Organization for Victims Assistance was found in 1975 and is the oldest national group providing assistance to victims of crime and crisis. The Law enforcement community needs to ensure the safety of the victim before, during, and after a conviction. Many times the victims of crimes are forgotten or left out of the notification process when the criminal has been
Victims of crime, particularly those violent in nature, have their rights violated and experience exceedingly high level of trauma and stress (Appendix B, 2015). It is surprising then, that Criminal Justice Systems (CJS) around the world forgo many victims’ rights and provided limited space for them to interact with the system (Sarre, 1999). Rather systems are built around balancing the rights of offenders against the greater safety and need of the community whilst neglecting individual justice needs of the victims (Sarre, 1999). With limited rights and minimal involvement a victim often becomes a disposable utensil to the CJS (Clark, 2010). They are used by the courts to determine the ultimate truth so justice may be served, with no care for the damage that may be caused in the process and then disposed of the case is concluded (Braun, 2014). In 2011-2012 a victimisation survey revealed that 1.2 million Australians were victims of personal crimes, such as assault, robbery and sexual assault (Australian Institution of Criminology, 2013). Of these victims, only half of the crimes were reported to the police (Australian Institution of Criminology, 2013). Such low reporting rates have been contributed in part to this notion of imbalance offender VS victims’ rights (Braun, 2014). Due to the sensitive nature of sexual crimes, the limited available evidence and victim rights, these crimes tend to carry the lowest reporting rates (Braun, 2014). During the latest Australian
The three key goals victims can pursue through the criminal justice system is to punish the offender, compel law breakers to undergo rehabilitate treatment and restitution. Punishment is usually justified on utilitarian grounds as evil. Although it is argued that making transgressors suffer curbs future criminality in a number of ways. It is said if an offender gets punished by unpleasant and unwanted consequences it will most likely discouraged him/her from breaking the law again. Also it satisfies victims thirst for revenge and prevents future vigilantism and incapacitates dangerous predators so they can be off the streets; a safer community. Rehabilitation, some victims want professionals to help offenders become decent,
Some of the strengths and benefits of the victim offender conferencing is that the victim can confront the offender and accomplish his or her reasons for participation such as in our textbook where the indirect victim had no other source of information about the offense. By participating in the program she accomplished the primary goals that most victims have such as having some human contact with the offender, the ability to show him the impact of the offense and the beginning of the healing process (Amstutz, 2009). The victim explains how her primary motive for the conference was to get rid of her desire for revenge that she had built up throughout her life; she accomplished her goal and is finally able to let go and move on (Amstutz, 2009).
victim services and law enforcement that was attended by law enforcement leaders, line officers, detectives, victim advocates, and victims themselves. The outcome of this meeting was the identification of critical and emerging issues in the investigation of violent crimes, the barriers and challenges with these highly traumatic investigations, and strategies to resolve these pressing issues. One such strategy was the employment of victim service professionals in law enforcement agencies.
The Office of Victim Services (OVS) seeks to ensure that the victims of crime at Kennesaw State University become an integral part of the criminal justice system. Through education of the rights and services available to KSU crime victims, collaboration with KSU Department of Public Safety and University Police, and the Cobb County judicial system, the KSU OVS staff believes that the voices of crime victims will become a necessary component of the justice system in this state. The primary goals of the KSU OVS are to aid in reducing trauma to the crime victim; reduce the level of secondary injury associated with the aftermath of crime; and to aid in the prosecution of criminal cases by ensuring that crime victims and witnesses are provided
My design problem for this script was that I wanted to adapt a short story that I had written into a film format. Another aspect of my design problem is taking such an impactful event that occurred over the span of many years and compacting the story properly. I previously wrote a short story about the brutal rape and murder of my cousin, Quenette Shehane. Although it is a terrible event, a lot of good came out of it through my great-aunt, Miriam Shehane, advocating for victims rights with her organization, Victims Against Crime and Leniency (V.O.C.A.L.). I am very passionate about this story, as it has changed my life even though I never had the chance to meet Quenette since she died in 1976. Thus, I wanted to challenge myself and put
The importance of solving cases and finding criminals is key to making the world a better place.
The history of victimology travels further back in time than most would realize. The concept of the victim emerged from the many attempts of many societies and peoples to explain both the reasons behind victimization and the appropriate action to be taken as a result of it (Burgess et al., 2013). As a concept, it can be difficult to define victimology, since each individual defines the term differently. According to the text utilized for this class, victimology is defined as being the study of the victim, including the offender and society. It is also seen as being a social-structural way of viewing the relationships between crime and the law as well as the criminal and the victim (Burgess et al, 2013)..