NCJ Number
141959
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 9 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1992) Pages: 393-418
Date Published
1992
Length
26 pages
Annotation
Data from crime victims in one Ohio county were analyzed to determine the extent of victims' involvement in the criminal justice process and its impact on their satisfaction with justice.
Abstract
The information came from the prosecutors' files on 500 felony cases that were prosecuted between June 1985 and January 1988 and for which an offender was sentenced. In addition, a one-time mail questionnaire survey received responses from 125 of the 450 victims whose addresses were known. The victims reported what court proceedings they had attended and whether they had filed a victim impact statement. The data were analyzed using multiple regression. Results revealed that satisfaction with the sentence was influenced most strongly by the victims' feelings that the sentence was fair, although the offense type, victim- offender relationship, and fulfillment of victims' expectations also had some explanatory power. Findings also revealed that the main factor affecting victims' satisfaction with the criminal justice system is their satisfaction with the sentence. Tables, footnotes, and 52 references