Victims Rights Act Case Study

484 Words2 Pages
Victims’ rights are shifting rapidly as more advocates are seeing the need for the victims’ voice to be heard. They are pushing the criminal justice professionals and getting laws to change. However, there is still work to be done. While I feel that there have been many changes made, I don’t think that it’s enough just yet. The public needs to get involved more in changing what we all should see are flaws that still remain in the system. The 2004 Crime Victims’ Rights Act started to change the way the courts deal with the victim to a crime. It also opened the door for states to offer further protection to the victims as well. The issues still seem to be with the victim impact statements and what is permissible in court to be heard. The victims aren’t a recognizable party in the sense of a court proceeding. We know of the main players, the defense attorney, the prosecutor, the judge, etc., but we don’t have the victims in that list. The law states now that the victims should be welcomed into the court and have a voice. Vengeance crimes are a touchy subject. I really don’t think that there is a circumstance that I could…show more content…
While what happened to them is horrible, if the priests were investigated fully and not charged with a crime, then all they are doing is harassing them. While I don’t agree with the secrecy that is involved within the Archdiocese with regards to the abuse caused by priests, I don’t think it’s appropriate to harass and enact vengeance on the priests who were not convicted. The priests that have done wrong though should have to issue an apology and have to hear a victims’ impact statement detailing what their actions did to them. I think that would go a lot further than harassing the priests and causing a media circus. Honestly, the priests that have been found guilty of abuse have tarnished the Catholic religion to the point that I don’t think it will recover

More about Victims Rights Act Case Study

Open Document