Victims in the criminal justice system: between anecdotes and a hard place

Across Europe, the position of the victim within criminal justice procedure is being reconsidered and often the topic of heated debate on both international and national levels. However, the project IVOR shows that even a basic understanding or basic data are lacking on victim experiences with criminal justice processes in most jurisdictions, as well as for most roles that are afforded to victims. Apart from the near obvious understanding that victims would prefer to be treated with some decency and respect in criminal justice processes, and the similarly straightforward position that they might like to receive some information about the way their case proceeds, debate expert views do not offer much in the way of sound empirical footing. The presentation will be a call to take the position of victims within criminal justice seriously, and as a first step to this end start to examine in detail victims’ experiences, needs and desires in criminal justice processes through is state-of-the-art victimological research and theory.status: publishe