This book explores victims' views of plea negotiations and the level of
input that they desire. It draws on the empirical findings of the first
in-depth study of victims and plea negotiations conducted in Australia.
Over the last 50 years, the criminal justice system has seen major
changes in both the role that victims play in the justice process and in
how the vast majority of criminal cases are finalised. Guilty pleas have
become the norm, and many of these result from negotiations between the
prosecutor and the defence. The extent to which the victim is one of the
participating parties in plea negotiations however, is a question of law
and of practice. Drawing from focus groups and surveys with victims of
crime, Victims and Plea Negotiations seeks to privilege victims' voices
and lived experiences of plea negotiations, to present their
perspectives on five options for enhanced participation in this legal
process. This book appeals to academics and students in the areas of
law, criminology, sociology, victimology and legal studies, those who
practice in the criminal justice system generally, those who work with
victims, and policy makers.