Victims and Plea Negotiations

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