ABSTRACT
Chapter 8, ‘Concluding comments’, highlights the study’s significance and contribution to criminological and socio-legal scholarship, and summarises its four main findings: (i) the gaps between the theoretical aims and practical application of victim-focused reforms;(ii) that such reforms act as a ‘sticking plaster’ for the broader issues inherent to adversarial systems; (iii) the need for incremental change in adversarial systems; and (iv) the need to reconceive adversarial systems using a triangulation of interests framework. The conclusion reiterates the arguments of the book, including that the role and status of sexual assault victims need to be enhanced through legal reform, and identifies that a meticulous approach is required to ensure that any victim-focused reform meets its intended objectives and addresses victims’ procedural justice needs. Future research directions and the potential limitations of the study are also outlined.
