A Comparative Overview of Victims’ Rights, Enforcement Mechanisms and Redress (2013) in England and Wales and the American Federal Jurisdiction

Abstract

The development of victim-related policies and the enactment of victims’ “rights” has become a standard feature of common law jurisdictions. Although most countries do not provide victims with legally enforceable rights in courts, the term “rights” is frequently employed by politicians, academics, and the media to designate an array of different expectations or entitlements that victims should expect from the justice system.This brief article provides an overview of the nature and scope of victims’ rights and discusses the recent enforcement mechanisms available for victims in England and Wales, particularly under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime and in the federal American jurisdiction under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA).