Victims of crime are often forgotten as more attention is paid to ensuring due process for the defendant. The United Nations (UN) Centre for International Crime Prevention has designed a guide for policymakers who are responsible for providing victims of crime with assistance and access to justice. The guide sets out lines of work that can be pursued by countries implementing the 1985 Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power.
Some governments have made significant progress implementing the declaration, but others have only begun to make their justice and support systems more accessible to victims. Victimisation studies have shown that urban dwellers in African and Latin American megacities are the least satisfied with the response of their police force to crimes. Studies have also shown that the business community carries a large part of the economic burden of crime.
Effective programmes will reduce the cost of crime and will prevent victims’ alienation from the criminal justice system and the community. Many examples of programmes and measures are given and key ones include:
- Extensive training of the police so that the victim is treated as a human being first and not just a source of evidence, and training regarding rights and referrals for victims.
- A review of basic medical, psychological and social services to ensure they are responsive to the needs of victims.
- Special programmes for more vulnerable victims, such as those who have experienced sexual assault, battered women, child victims and victims of ‘hate crimes’.
- Victim service programmes that may include: crisis intervention, counselling, advocacy, support during crime investigation, prosecution and after the case, training, violence prevention and public education.
- State compensation to victims, paid where restitution is not fully available from the offender or other sources.
- Developing guidelines for judicial and administrative personnel where the inconvenience and personal interests of the victim is considered, especially in terms of police questioning and timing of hearings.
It is the responsibility of governments to develop support programmes to challenge victimisation in society. Efforts and resources devoted to programmes should provide significant short- and long- term benefits and bring together the government, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations and the community at large. Many recommendations are made and key ones are that:
- Policies to implement the declaration should be based on a comprehensive strategy, and if there are no policies a high-level committee should be established to carry out a needs assessment.
- It is essential to strengthen the existing administrative structures and voluntary organisations dealing with victim issues in countries where victim policies have been put in place.
- The state should provide for a wide dissemination of the declaration in local languages, promote public initiatives and cooperate with intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations.
- The state should develop and ratify international and regional conventions aimed at preventing victimisation.
- Planning economic and social development or planning peacekeeping should include mechanisms designed to identify victimisation risks and help forestall them. Training programmes should be promoted.
- Legislative change may be necessary to ensure consistent and equitable services and a periodic review of legislation should occur.
