ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses a wide range of victims' needs, the role of the offender, state, and community in meeting those needs, and several key methods through which such needs can be met. In addition to the direct victims of crime, both tangible and intangible costs may be incurred by other parties, including families, friends, communities, and even the broader society. Meeting victims' needs is an important goal of the justice system. Victims report greater satisfaction with the criminal justice process when they believe that their needs have been met by the system. The chapter focuses on restorative justice interventions, in particular, because of their ability to bring victims, offenders, and communities together to repair the harm caused by criminal offending. It emphasizes that—particularly in the United States—current policies aimed at meeting the needs of victims are only modestly effective at doing so and that we are unlikely to be able to fully meet victims' needs moving forward.
