Revisiting & Enforcing the Crime Victims’ Rights Act

To implement the Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA), the federal judiciary have, among other things, revised internal guidelines, trained the Department of Justice (DOJ) staff and judges, provided victims with emergency, temporary housing to protect them and proactively asked victims if they would like to speak in court. Mechanisms to ensure adherence to the CVRA include processes for victims to submit complaints against DOJ employees and assert their rights in court; however, the majority of victims reported they were not aware that these mechanisms exist. If victims are not aware of the complaint process or their ability to assert their rights in court, these mechanisms will not be effective at helping ensure that victims are afforded their rights. Thus, this book attempts to increase awareness of the CVRA and improve its implementation.