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Victims Rights

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Victims’ Rights

CJA 324
July 26, 2015

Introduction to Victim’s Rights
As a nation we have both state and federal laws that establish a set of rights for victims of crime. Although these laws vary depending on the jurisdiction of the crime being investigated, they give victims the right to have certain information regarding their case, afford the victim a limited role in the process of seeking out justice, as well as granting special protections for the victim. Some states only recognize a victim as in individual who was harmed during the commission of a serious offense, or a felony, while other states grant victims’ rights to any individual harmed during a criminal act, whether it was a misdemeanor or a felony ("The National Center for Victims of Crime", 2012).
Personal Stance
While victims’ rights have come a long way over the years there is still a much longer way to go to go before we reach a point where victims are treated better than the criminals who committed the crime against them. According to the National Center for Victims of Crime (2012), “All states provide crime victim compensation to reimburse victims of violent crime for some of the out-of-pocket expenses that resulted from the crime. The purpose of compensation is to recognize victims' financial losses and to help them recover some of these costs. All states have a cap on the total compensation award for each crime, and not all crime-related expenses are covered. To be eligible for compensation, victims must submit an application, usually within a certain period of time, and show that the losses they are claiming occurred through no fault of their own.”
There are many, many things wrong with this particular part of the Victims Rights Act. For beginners lets address the idea that any victim should have to “apply” for compensation and prove their need for assistance was through

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