ABSTRACT
Since the 1970s the criminal justice systems of many countries have been increasingly criticised for the way in which they treat victims of crime (Mawby and Walklate 1994). Victims commonly complain that they are treated with little compassion, kept poorly informed, and often feel that they are regarded principally as pieces of evidence (see Giuliano 1998) for many vivid descriptions by victims of their experience of the criminal justice process). Many people feel that they are victimised further by the criminal justice system that is supposed to deliver them justice. Critics argue that the principal reason for this occurring is that most criminal justice systems are primarily orientated toward the prosecution of offenders, who may then be punished and/or assisted (Zehr 1990). Offences are primarily seen as a violation of the laws of the state, and the state then represents the actual victim, often effectively alienating them through this process. Once the state has passed sentence, the case is considered closed, leaving many victims feeling angry, bitter, and with no sense of closure. Indeed, many victims never even know that the case actually went to court.
