Daniel Martin
The Criminal Court System
Module 8
Q=Describe how victims and witnesses view the court process.
For victims and witnesses, going through the court process can be a tough and
emotional process. Victims usually expect the court process to bring justice and closure,
like making the person who hurt them pay for what they did. But it's not always a quick
or straightforward path, and having to talk about the bad stuff that happened to them
can be really hard. The whole court process can take a long time, which might not be
what victims hoped for, and that can make them feel stressed out and upset. Witnesses
who didn't plan on being part of the legal process can have different feelings about it.
Some might think it's their duty to help make sure justice gets served but others
witnesses may feel scared especially if being involved may put them or their family in
danger.
Its very important that victims as well as witnesses get a lot of support to make
their process as easy as possible. If there's enough support, like counseling and help
with legal issues, it can make the whole process better. But if there's not much support it
might feel like they're on their own which is tough.The court process can also be
confusing because of all the legal processes. This can make people feel lost or like the
process isn't really about them. Also the way the people in the legal system act matters
a lot too. If judges and lawyers are understanding and explaining things clearly, it can
make the experience less stressful. But if they're not so caring or seem like they don't
really get how hard it is for victims and witnesses, it can make things worse.
The court process can be filled with lots of feelings, expectations, and
challenges. Understanding and dealing with these things is super important to make
sure the justice system not only does its job but also treats people with care and support
during a tough time.