The Government recently published the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016. In the Jan/Feb 2017 Gazette, Josepha Madigan writes that its enactment can’t come quickly enough.
Recognising the rights of victims
Being a victim of crime – whether a serious offence or a minor one – leads to all kinds of suffering and anguish. The harms caused by crime can be psychological and emotional, as well as physical or financial.
Writing in the Jan/Feb Gazette, Josepha Madigan (Fine Gael TD for Dublin Rathdown and a qualified solicitor) argues that victims must be treated by the courts as being more than just another witness. In this context, she welcomes the publication of the Victims of Crime Bill 2016.
The Victims of Crime Bill 2016
The bill aims to ensure that victims of crime receive appropriate information, support, and protection, and that they are able to participate with dignity in criminal proceedings. When it comes into force, it will give victims a whole host of statutory rights for the first time. This will have an impact all the way through the criminal justice system – from a victim’s first contact with the Gardaí, right the way through to when offenders are released from prison.
These rights include special measures based on their particular vulnerabilities and protection from repeat victimisation, intimidation and retaliation. The bill also gives victims the right to be provided with information about the progress of the investigation and any court proceedings. This information must be in clear, concise language, translated if necessary, to enable victims of crime to understand, and be understood, during the criminal justice process.
In a ‘Viewpoint’ article, Josepha Madigan goes through the changes wrought by the new legislation in detail, and makes the case for its speedy enactment.
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