(Barbados Nation): Veteran criminologist and senior research officer at the Criminal Justice Research and Planning Unit, Kim Ramsay, is warning that disjointedness within this country’s criminal justice system is presenting some serious challenges for victims of crimes.
Speaking on the issue during a webinar held by the unit, Ramsay explained that despite being interrelated, the agencies in some cases operate oblivious to the roles of the other, leaving victims to fall through the cracks.
In her research based solely on interviews with people from the relevant state agencies, which included judges, prosecutors, police officers and defence attorneys, Ramsay argued that the pain of victims continues to be exacerbated by a system that has failed to prioritise victim support and restorative justice.
She argued that at times victims are often left to fend for themselves, having to feel their way around in the dark with regard to their rights within the court system. (CLM)
