Source: (2000) The Crime Victims Report 4 (May/June): 25.
Errol Flynn is an assistant district attorney in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. As such he speaks from experience in stating that for too long prosecutors have thought of victims only as witnesses needed to identify the perpetrator of a crime and to help prove the case against the perpetrator. “Prosecutors just want the facts.â€? They want questions about the facts of the case answered by the victim quickly, efficiently, clearly, and unemotionally. However, Flynn argues for a number of reasons that crime victims and their needs must be seen in a new light by prosecutors. The crime victim should be seen as the prosecutor’s client. Recent legislation mandates better treatment of victims; victim participation can aid a particular case and also lead to more community support for the criminal justice system; and justice requires recognition of victims’ rights.
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