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exploratory study of victim participation in the justice systems of Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad/Tobago

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Date Issued:
2003
Summary:
This study examines the nature and extent of victim participation in the criminal justice systems in the three Caribbean nations of Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Through visits to the three island nations, observations were made; interviews were conducted with justice practitioners, including police officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys and victim advocates; conversations were held with citizens and several crime victims; observations of court proceedings were conducted; and documents were studied. Victim participation was considered in the context of the culture and within the theoretical framework of institutionalism and organized anarchies. Institutions were seen as both constraining forces with respect to victim participation and emerging entities as regards victim participation. Justice practitioners' perceptions of participation often matched and often varied from actual systems of participation that exist. In addition, there were instances wherein practitioners who had considerable contact with victims (police officers, prosecutors) had very little knowledge about victims' rights and/or the status of victim policy. Victims of crime in Jamaica have more services available to them than do victims in the other two nations, as there is a government network of victim service agencies in place there. Participation in the actual trial process is similar in each of the nations studied.
Title: An exploratory study of victim participation in the justice systems of Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad/Tobago.
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Name(s): Eastep, Mary Ann.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Leip, Leslie A., Thesis advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 2003
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 273 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: This study examines the nature and extent of victim participation in the criminal justice systems in the three Caribbean nations of Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Through visits to the three island nations, observations were made; interviews were conducted with justice practitioners, including police officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys and victim advocates; conversations were held with citizens and several crime victims; observations of court proceedings were conducted; and documents were studied. Victim participation was considered in the context of the culture and within the theoretical framework of institutionalism and organized anarchies. Institutions were seen as both constraining forces with respect to victim participation and emerging entities as regards victim participation. Justice practitioners' perceptions of participation often matched and often varied from actual systems of participation that exist. In addition, there were instances wherein practitioners who had considerable contact with victims (police officers, prosecutors) had very little knowledge about victims' rights and/or the status of victim policy. Victims of crime in Jamaica have more services available to them than do victims in the other two nations, as there is a government network of victim service agencies in place there. Participation in the actual trial process is similar in each of the nations studied.
Identifier: 9780496295579 (isbn), 12034 (digitool), FADT12034 (IID), fau:8949 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2003.
College for Design and Social Inquiry
Subject(s): Criminal justice, Administration of--Barbados
Criminal justice, Administration of--Jamaica
Criminal justice, Administration of--Trinidad and Tobago
Victims of crimes--Caribbean Area
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12034
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.