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National Institute of Justice (NIJ): Research, Development, Evaluation
 

Effect of State Legislation

Effect of State victim-related legislation. The National Center for Victims of Crime surveyed more than 1,300 crime victims to determine the effect of State legislation on the protection of their rights (Kilpatrick, Beatty, and Howley, 1998). The study surveyed victims from four States: two States had strong legal protections for victims and two did not. Victims in States with strong legal protections were more likely than victims in States without those protections to be notified of the events in their cases and informed of their rights and available services, to exercise some of their rights in the criminal justice process, and to give high ratings to the criminal justice system.

Even in States with strong legal protections, however, victims' needs were not fully met and victims' rights were not guaranteed.

Works Cited

Kilpatrick, D.G., D. Beatty, and S.S. Howley. The Rights of Crime Victims—Does Legal Protection Make a Difference? Research in Brief. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, December 1998, NCJ 173839.

Date Created: November 15, 2007