Antidotes to injustice? Victim statements’ impact on victims’ sense of security

Abstract

Since the mid- to late 1980s a number of Western countries have granted victims a participatory role in the sentencing process by means of written and oral victim statements. These statements have been introduced with a view to increasing victim satisfaction with the criminal justice system. Evaluation research on the use of these statements, however, points towards victims’ numerous concerns when deciding whether to submit a statement. These concerns indicate that some victims may feel insecure and uncomfortable about submitting a statement. Focusing on the specific case of victim statements, this article will serve to explore how victim reforms that are designed to protect victims from exclusion by the criminal justice system and to enhance perceptions of justice risk causing some victims to feel endangered by participation.