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Essay on Victim's Rights

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Millions of Americans are victims of crime every year. Victims of crimes have rights which entitle them to special benefits and help as a result of a crime.
Crime is defined as any behavior that is punishable by a fine, a prison or jail sentence or in some cases both. There are two types of crime. The first type is a felony; the standard definition of a felony is any crime that is punishable by more than one year in prison or by death. The most common felonies are murder, robbery, treason, rape and kidnapping. The second type of crime is known as a misdemeanor. A misdemeanor is usually a less serious crime and is generally punishable by a fine and/ or incarceration in a county jail for up to one year. The most common misdemeanor crimes …show more content…

Most cities and counties in Colorado as well as across the United States have a Victims Advocate Program. These offices are staffed with trained people who care about the victim and their rights during their involvement in the criminal justice system. Their goal is to help lessen the impact of being a victim of crime or a witness to a crime, and provide information about how the court system works and the current status of their case. Remember, it is the very important for the victim to keep law enforcement that is working the case informed of any changes; keeping the lines of communication clear, open and up to date.
In the state of Colorado the constitution and the laws of this state guarantee rights to victims and witnesses of a crime. There are specific rights given to victims of certain crimes; these rights are guaranteed as well to the victim's spouse, partner, parent, child, sibling or grandparent, should the victim be deceased or incapacitated. Among these rights and the most important are the victims’ rights pertaining to information. A victim or victim’s family has the right to have information about the critical stages of the criminal justice process and to know what is happening with their case. Victims of violent crimes have additional rights as well, many of these rights relate to being informed about aspects

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