A Crime Victim S Guide To The Criminal Justice System

This booklet is intended to complement provincial/territorial victims' services by guiding crime victims & witnesses through the criminal justice system and helping them understand their role in it. Topics covered include laying charges, arrest & release, bail hearings, protecting victims of crime, court proceedings, young offenders, categories of offences, trials, sentencing, victim impact statements, corrections, and statutory release.

The protocol outlines what you can expect throughout the criminal justice process, from the time you report a crime through the police investigation, court proceedings and, if the accused is found guilty, provincial and federal corrections and the National Parole Board. The protocol also tells what is expected of you and what else you can do when you are in contact with the criminal justice system.

Explains the justice system and your rights and duties relating to the system

This guide contains information on such topics as sources of aid and compensation, the role of the victim in sentencing, dealing with spouse and child abuse, acting as a witness, and finding victim advocate and self-help groups

The Routledge Handbook on Victims’ Issues in Criminal Justice is a comprehensive and authoritative handbook on current issues, with a distinctive emphasis on the delivery of suitable and effective services. The editor provides an introduction and conclusion to the handbook, synthesizing original contributions from current leaders in the field, surveying victims’ rights in the United States, victim participation in the criminal justice system, victims’ welfare and needs, and most notably the services that have been developed in response. A section on special populations in the United States brings focus to current and emerging issues faced within the country, while a section covering international and transnational victimization explores globalization and the implications of other legal traditions and systems. This handbook addresses the crucial and complex topic of victims’ issues, examining both societal and governmental reactions to victims’ concerns and acquainting readers with the issues that discord may cause, and how they affect the provision of services. This book will serve as an essential reference for academics and practitioners working with crime victims, as well as for students taking courses in victimology, criminology, sociology, and related subjects.