ABSTRACT
Chapter 6 is the final findings chapter. It provides an overview of victims’ need for and right to information, with reference to the law and policy in the four Australian study jurisdictions. It then examines some common problems raised by victims and justice professionals around the lack of information victims receive throughout their justice process experience, including in relation to sentencing. The chapter also considers issues with communicating information to victims. The chapter identifies several issues within current victims’ rights regimes and communication barriers that may prevent justice professionals sharing information effectively with victims. It then explores the evidence-based literature on effective verbal and visual communication skills and proposes strategies for improving communication between justice professionals and victims of crime. We also explore the introduction of automated systems that provide victims with brief details of upcoming hearings and outcomes. We end the chapter with a vignette about Laura, one of the victims we interviewed.
