Source: (1999) New York: United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention. Centre for International Crime Prevention.
On November 29, 1985, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power. Based on the perspective that victims should be treated with compassion and respect, the declaration states that they are entitled to prompt redress for the harm they have suffered. It further states that victims should have access to the criminal justice system, reparation, and services to assist their recovery. In May 1996 the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice adopted a resolution to develop a manual or manuals on the use and application of the declaration. This document, the Handbook on Justice for Victims, stems from that resolution. It covers the following topics: the impact of victimization; victim assistance programs; the role and responsibility of front-line professionals and others with respect to victims; the role of society in advocacy, policy-making, and law reform; and international strategies for justice for victims.
Your donation helps Prison Fellowship International repair the harm caused by crime by emphasizing accountability, forgiveness, and making amends for prisoners and those affected by their actions. When victims, offenders, and community members meet to decide how to do that, the results are transformational.
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