Latest European Achievements and New Challenges in Victimology and Victim Protection: <i>Towards victim-centred criminal justice system</i>

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.main##

Dobrinka Chankova

Abstract

This paper explores the recent achievements of victimology thought that have been considered while the European Union and other European and global institutions approve new instruments protecting crime victims. After 2011 when the “Victim package” was adopted by the European Commission the victim of crime become a subject of privileged attention for the European penal policy. Important acts as Directive 2011/99/EU of the European Parliament and the Council on the European Protection Order, Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament establishing the minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, the EU Strategy on victims' rights 2020-2025 have been approved and are in a process of implementation. These instruments, as well as some fundamental Council of Europe and United Nations documents are under scrutiny. The issue of wider introduction of restorative justice is raised as an indisputable instrument in favor of the victims of crime. The unsolved problems are also identified. The new challenges to be met in order to make the environment more friendly for victims are indicated and some decisions are offered.

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.details##

How to Cite
Chankova, D. . (2022). Latest European Achievements and New Challenges in Victimology and Victim Protection: <i>Towards victim-centred criminal justice system</i>. Global Advances in Victimology and Psychological Studies, 1(1), 31–38. https://doi.org/10.54945/gavps.v1i1.7

References

  1. Chankova, D. (2012). “The European Protection Order: A New Instrument in Support of Victims of Crime”, The European Future of Bulgaria, Collection of Materials from the Annual Conference of the Faculty of Law, pp. 200- 205, Sofia: University of National and World Economy Centre for the Study of Democracy (2015) Supporting Vulnerable Groups Before the State, Sofia
  2. Berbec, S., Fernández, C. et al. (2020). Action plan for developing victim-centred and trauma-informed criminal justice, funded by Justice Program of the European Union https://csd.bg/fileadmin/user_upload/publications_ library/files/2021_05/Action_Plan_RE-JUST_EN.pdf, last accessed on 11 October 2021
  3. Gavrielides, T. (ed.) (2014). A victim-led criminal justice system: Addressing the paradox, London; Projects, funded by Justice Programme of the EU: “Restorative Justice in Europe: Safeguarding Victims and Empowering Professionals”, 2012-2014; “Developing Directive- Compatible Practices for the Identification, Assessment and Referrals of Victims, 2017, etc.
  4. Milquet, J. (2019) “Strengthening victims’ rights: from compensation to reparation”[online]. Available from: https:// ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/strengthening_victims_ rights_-from_compensation_to_reparation.pdf last accessed on 27 November 2020
  5. European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) (2014). Victims of crime in the EU: the extent and nature of support for victims. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union
  6. European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) (2019) Victims’ rights as standards of criminal justice. Justice for victims of violent crime. Part I, Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union
  7. Council of Europe (2011) Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of and Fight against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. Council of Europe Treaties N210; www.coe.int Handbook on restorative justice programmes, second edition, UNODC, 2020
  8. Sherman, L. and Strang, H. (2012) “Restorative Justice as Evidence-based Sentencing”, in Petersilia, J. and Reitz, K. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Sentencing and Corrections, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 215–243
  9. Chankova, D., G. Georgieva. (2019). Towards Coherent European Crime Victims Policies аnd Practices. International Conference “Knowledge-Based Organisation”, vol. 25, 2019, pp. 122-127, Conference proceedings, 25th KBO Conference 2019, “Nicolae Balcescu” Land Forces Academy, Sibiu, Romania