Module 12A - victims and restoratve justice Flashcards
Primary victims
suffer direct effect of crime
secondary victims
people who are financially or emotionally dependant on the victim
Tertiary victims
people who bear the cost of crime like tax payers or have their lives impacted by fear
Impacts and effects of crime
effects can be immediate, short term or long term
violent crime in particular has serious long lasting effects upon victims such a PTSD and depression
Victim support
family and friends
most victim support services dont provide practical help, financial, legal or mediacl assistance
Police and victims
important for victim satisfaction that police keep them informed on case
victims tend to expect police to tell them about support services
Prosecution and victims
keeps victims informed of case progress, most victims dont participate in procescution
some jurisdictions give victims a voice in a charge bargaining
Courts and victims
lack of safe waiting areas that separate them from accused and defense witnesses
resenting the amount of time they have to wait to give evidence
difficulty following the court procedure
more victims make victim impact statment than they do testify
victims feel sentences are too lenient
Corrections and victims
victims have the right to know offenders classification escape from custody if occurs release dates parol application outcomes return to custody
Restorative justice
a process whereby parties with a stake in a specific offence collectively resolve how to deal with aftermath of offences, and its implications for the future
Most common forms of Restorative Justice
sentencing circles
mediation
transformative justice
victim offender conferencing
How Restorative justice works
afford greater time to the matter than court heaings
all parties participate to negotiate outcomes
offender must actively engage in process
focuses on what offenders will do to make right the wrongs they have committed
Youth Justice conferencing
participants: convener, police, offender and support person, victim and their support person
Youth Justice conferencing :Structure of conference
intro
storytelling
agreement
Restorative justice conferencing: intro
orienting presentation by convener which serves to introduce participants and review roles and expectations
Restorative justice conferencing: story telling
offenders account for behaviour and may offer an apology
victims describe offence impact
offender and victim supporters offer additional input
Restorative justice conferencing: Agreement Negotiation
group negotiate how offender can repair harms
common agreement include verbal or written apology commitment not to reoffend or work for victims community
Aims of Restorative Justice Processes
meet needs of victim hold offenders accountable reparation restoration crime reduction
conferencing and reoffending in QLD
several offender characterisitics associated with reoffending
conferencing and reoffending in QLD; age at conference
10 -12 at conference less likely to reoffend
conferencing and reoffending in QLD: age at first offence
younger age group more likely to reoffend
conferencing and reoffending in QLD: gender
males more likely to reoffend
conferencing and reoffending in QLD: prior offending
youths with prior offences more likely to reoffend
