Victim Notification and Public Support for the Criminal Justice System

Abstract

Dutch criminal justice policy assumes that people's faith in the criminal justice system depends largely on its ability to sanction offenders. In this article arguments are offered which question this assumption. Victimological research shows that the treatment of victims in the criminal justice process is important to victims and more important than the ability of police to catch the offender. The impact of treatment on victims' satisfaction and support for the police and sentencing practices is examined. By notifying victims of the developments in their case, police can improve victim satisfaction and support for them as well as increase support for sentencing practices. Failure to recognise the victim, regardless of the severity of the punishment imposed upon the offender, results in a significant decrease in victim satisfaction and support for the police. The paper closes with a discussion of the implications of the findings for criminal justice policy.