NCJ Number
251539
Date Published
2015
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This document contains the instructor's guide, PowerPoint presentation, and student handout for a classroom segment in college curricula that provides an overview of the official relationship between the public prosecutor and a crime victim, as well as the victim's role in the processing of a case through the criminal court system.
Abstract
The course emphasizes that the public prosecutor is not like a private attorney in a civil case, in that she/he does not only represent a victim's interests, but must also ensure that the defendant's rights are protected. After completing this curricula segment, students should be able to describe the roles of the prosecutor and a crime victim in the court process; be familiar with the various stages of the court process for both misdemeanors and felonies; describe what a victim may expect at each stage of the court process; and be familiar with the assistance the victim may expect to receive as the case proceeds through the court system. This class material can be modified for use in college courses of various disciplines, including, but not limited to, criminal justice, psychology, sociology, nursing, social work, business, and history. The classroom time for this instructional segment is 50-75 minutes. A directory of faculty and student materials is provided. For each slide of the PowerPoint presentation, the instructor is provided with suggestions for comment and discussion. National resources for crime victims are listed.