Justice for Victims of Crime

Justice is important for victims of crime. Some authors even consider victims’ need for justice to be a fundamental human need, like the need for safety and the need for a love and positive relations with others. Yet, victims often complain of the injustice of the criminal justice system and many do not report their victimization to police. Victims tell us that justice can provide them with a sense of closure and satisfaction, and, therefore, is important with respect to their healing process. But what is justice? In this presentation, I will consider research on the meaning of justice for victims. Victims take a broad view of justice, deriving a sense of justice from different sources such as how they are treated by authorities (interactional justice), their role in the criminal justice process (procedural justice) and the principles and values underlying the distribution of outcomes (distributive justice). Examining the many possible sources of justice and injustice for victims with respect to state-based victim services, including the justice system, we will consider how we might enhance justice and promote healing for victims, while respecting the rights of the accused.