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Abstract: 

Many states have passed victims’ rights amendments to their constitutions establishing a baseline of fundamental victims’ rights. Those that have not passed constitutional amendments nevertheless provide statutory guarantees allowing victims to participate in the criminal justice process. The primary gap in these laws, however, is their failure to offer any recourse to victims whose rights are violated or ignored. Several states have addressed this gap by establishing grievance procedures for victims who wish to file complaints for rights violations. Some of these cases are discussed. The article also includes a boxed sidebar, ”Research Findings on the Prevalence, Incidence, and Consequences of Violence Against Women”

Keywords: Colorado Victims Rights Act; Minnesota Office of the Crime Victims Ombudsman; (Minnesota) OCVO; Wyoming Victim Services Division

Affiliations:  .