Symposium on Crime Victims' Rights – The Third Wave
March 20, 2007Date: March 20 & 21, 2007 Victims’ rights, once a curiosity within the criminal justice system, are now a mainstream concern that influences all of criminal justice policy development. As we celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Victims’ Bill of Rights, it is especially appropriate to look ahead to future developments in the victims’ rights movement. The pioneers of the California movement were typically small nonprofits and individuals concerned about the rights of victims, including sexual assault survivors and women’s groups concerned about domestic violence. These groups, often working with little or no money, were able to launch one of the most successful grassroots movements in the country. As this movement grew, California became the first jurisdiction in the U.S. to provide governmental compensation to victims of violent crime. Over the years, groups and organizations concerned with victims and victims’ rights all sought better treatment for victims through legislation. Proposition 8 -– the Victims’ Bill of Rights was an initiative by the people. It was a mandate for the legislature to provide more rights to victims of crime, such as the right to speak at both felony sentencing and parole hearings, and the right to restitution. The Victims’ Bill of Rights created new responsibilities for courts in criminal cases, and recent developments in enforcement have stretched courts into uncharted territory. Today, one of the major issues for victims of crime is the enforcement of their rights -- We have come to The Third Wave. One of the successes of the victims’ rights movement has been that it does not represent a single agenda or a narrow philosophy. Individual victims, private and nonprofit organizations, and government agencies represent a variety of perspectives and each makes valuable contributions to the movement. Let us continue to work together to improve and enforce victims’ rights. Sponsored by Capital Center for Government Law and Policy , UOP McGeorge School of Law For further information, contact: |
