ABSTRACT

What do victims want? Surely every victim wishes that the crime had never happened at all; realistically, most at least wish to 'be made whole again'. Restitution is the most common demand from victims of the widest variety of crimes, perhaps because it is the most commonly available option and one that reduces the victimisation to the lowest common denominator: money. For victims of violent crime, moreover, the psychological aspect becomes particularly important, because 'becoming whole again' means that the victim has confronted and overcome deep pain, both physical and emotional. Surely the criminal justice system should do nothing to prevent this healing, but whether courts can affirmatively'help victims by tailoring offenders' sentences to what the victims need or want is unproven.