STUDENT REPLY #1 Torre Johnson
In this final discussion I was asked to choose a role in the criminal justice system that is affected by the criminal justice system. After choosing this profession I will explain how crime victims’ right affect my selected role and the role’s professional standards. I will then touch on how the continuing evolution of the victim will change the professional standards of the criminal justice role I selected. Finally, I will explain how technology or media has changed or will change the role of the victim.
The profession in the criminal justice I have chosen to use as the talking point in this discussion is that of a police officer.
Victims’ Rights
Firstly, lets discuss what your rights are as a victim. Though victim’s right will vary from state to state most have the same general idea and list the following laws that protect victim rights (Larson, 2018).
The right to be informed of all court proceedings relating to their case
The right to be informed of any plea offers extended to the defendant
The right to make a statement to the court at the time of sentencing
The right to an order that a convicted defendant pay restitution for losses they suffered as a result of criminal activity
The right to be informed of the sentence received by the convicted defendant
If the defendant is sent to prison, the right to submit a statement to the parole board and the right to be informed if the defendant is released on parole
Moving on to the profession I have chosen to center this discussion post around, Police officers.
Changing Professional Standards
I believe that by providing cultural awareness training, educating police officers on victims’ rights, and creating a more culturally diverse police force, the judicial system will have a basis for social change. The society in which the police officer serves, would be trusting of the officers who are more ethnically similar to themselves, they would also be trusting of those who express knowledge of the culture of the community in which they serve. We can change professional standards by understanding the victim, gaining their trust by displaying culturally sensitive behaviors, and acknowledging the rights of the victim.
Technologies Role in Victimology
In regard to how this generations’ advances in technology will change the role of victims moving forward i believe that it will make victims of crimes more pro-active in their own cases. The roles of social media will make it easier for victims to speak out on the injustice that they have dealt with. It will become easier for victims to find support groups that contain members that who have been victims of similar crimes, and safe space to share one’s stories and hardships. When discussion specifically about the profession of law enforcements, the role of social media will make it a space where victims can put pressure on law enforcements if they are not doing their job correctly. The use of social media will make it harder for police to shove cases and crimes under the rug, and for people to forget about cases that have gone cold. In the same breath the use of social media for victims and amateur dectives can make it harder for police to do their jobs.
Reference
Larson, A., (2018.). What are your rights if you are the victim of a crime? ExpertLaw. Retrieved From: What Are Your Rights if You Are the Victim of a Crime | ExpertLaw
STUDENT REPLY #2 Katlan Hatton
Victims have rights after a crime was committed such as, being informed of proceedings, privacy and protection from intimidation and harassment, attending proceedings and be heard, and proceedings being free of unreasonable delays (PJCC, 2020). We also, as citizens, have rights to resist being victimized. These rights include the right to life and self-defense meaning you have the right to take any actions necessary to protect yourself and others. Victims’ rights after a crime have been committed can have effect on many different roles in the judicial system, like the prosecution. Citizens’ rights to avoid being victimized can have a lot of effects on police officers.
Victims’ rights after a crime impacts the prosecution because they are required to keep the victim informed about the case. Prosecutors must tell the victim when the court date is, if the perpetrator was released, of any plea deals, and some states require that they confer with the victim before dismissing a case (Rebecca Pirius, 2021).
Citizens’ rights before a crime to protect themselves from becoming victims can affect the police in many ways. Some people believe these rights mean they can take the law into their own hands which can make it harder for police to do their jobs. The rights can also cause people to react without calling for help and be put in a much more dangerous situation.
With evolution of victims and their rights professional standards of the prosecutors and overall justice system can change. Prosecutors may be expected to inform victims of a lot more than they are currently, like for example, their plans in court to bring the perpetrator (although unlikely). They may also be expected to take the victims statement into consideration when deciding how to proceed in court or whether to dismiss the case (in more states than currently).
Police officers may be affected by evolution of citizens’ rights in many ways. It appears we are advancing in some rights but devolving in others. This could affect how the justice system polices its people. With the protests that happened just a couple years back, some officers did not handle the situations as expected to. Citizens have the right to protest but many were met with excessive force.
Social media has changed a lot in today’s society. I believe one thing that it has changed for victims is giving them a safe space to talk about their victimization. Having a safer space to discuss crimes you may have been a victim to has also made it easier for people to lie about such occasions. Many people go to social media claiming to be a victim for clout and attention. Although social media has made it easier for people to come forward and talk about their experiences it has also made it more difficult for victims to be believed.
Social media has also created a lot of tension between the justice system and citizens. Many posts being shared today are of cops using excess, unneeded force or of someone being wronged by the justice system. These types of posts going viral has created a lot of negativities with the police and other criminal justice workers. Many people do not feel safe anymore, especially people of color. Social media did not create this stigma, it just shed light on what was happening in the world and now that people see what it is really like the tension has been created.
Although social media can have positive affects in the criminal justice system, like giving victims a platform to speak about their experiences or help catch a criminal, it can also have negative consequences.
Reference
PJCC. (2020, March 25). Victims’ rights. PJCC. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://www.ncsc.org/pjcc/topics/victims#:~:text=These%20federal%20and%20state%20provisions,from%20intimidation%20and%20harassment%3B%20to
Article 2: Right To Life. Article 2: Right to life | Equality and Human Rights Commission. (2021, June 3). Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/human-rights-act/article-2-right-life
Rebecca Pirius, A. (2021, March 12). Crime victims’ rights at trial and sentencing. www.criminaldefenselawyer.com. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/victims-rights-trial-and-sentencing.htm
Karmen, A. (2020). Crime victims: An introduction to victimology (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
