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Victims’ Rights and Vengeance
Terence Goodman
CJA/ 324
July 8, 2013
Keith Lima

Victims’ Rights and Vengeance From the civil rights era of the 50’s and 60’s, I feel that victim’s rights have come a very long way. I know monetary compensation can never make up for a person civil rights being violated but that will help with any financial burden they may or potentially will have in the future. Programs like President Reagan’s National Victims’ Rights Week are good for spreading awareness to the situation while helping victims navigate the criminal justice system. A major contributor to victims’ rights can be credited to the success of the Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA). I see this as a success because it helps gives victims a voice in which they can come together and enforce their rights so change can be made to better theirs and others circumstances. Not only is this program important for helping to fight for their rights but it also serve as a means of helping individuals get back on their feet.

In my opinion, since “we the people” are the ones that write and enforce the laws, I think in some cases vengeance should be taken into consideration. Why not change a few laws to cater to the family of an individual that has fallen victim to a senseless crime. For example: is it fair that a person goes to jail for 20 years for taking an innocent persons life? No! There should be new laws set in place for the victim’s family with the assistance of law enforcement to enact their own style of justice on the perpetrator. It would seem that this would be a deterrent to many senseless crimes. The one downside to this would probably be retaliation from the perpetrator’s family.

I fully agree with networks like Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP). Not only does this program keep the public informed of horrific acts against humanity but it also

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