Participation of the Public and Victims for More Effective Administration in Prosecution and the Judiciary (From Resource Material Series No. 56, P 283-299, 2000, Hiroshi Iitsuka and Rebecca Findlay-Debeck, eds. -- See NCJ-191475)

• NCJ Number: 191496
• Author(s): Hideki Igeta
• Date Published: December 2000
• Length: 17 pages
• Sale Source: United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: Japan
• Note: A paper from the 112th UNAFEI International Training Course, "Participation of the Public and Victims for More Fair and Effective Criminal Justice," held April 12 to July 2, 1999.

Annotation

This discussion of the participation of the public and crime victims in prosecution and court proceedings focuses on measures for securing testimony, redress for victims through criminal justice procedures, and measures for the protection of the rights and interests of victims.

Abstract

In discussing measures for securing testimony, the paper considers programs for securing witnesses, devices in the examination of witnesses, keeping defendants in custody, and sanctions for threats against witnesses. Suggestions are offered for an allowance for witnesses and the use of documents as corroborative evidence. A section for monetary redress for victims through criminal procedure considers state compensation, restitution orders, and civil action in criminal procedure. The section on measures for the protection of the rights and interests of victims considers a notification system for victims, the initiative or participation of victims in criminal prosecution, the right to attend the trial, secondary victimization through witness examinations, mental care and support for victims, victim involvement in sentencing, victim involvement in decision making on appeals, and media invasion of victims' privacy. Problems and current situations in the aforementioned areas are noted for countries participating in the training course in which this paper was presented (China, Egypt, Japan, India, and Indonesia). 1 table