Victims’ experiences in the criminal justice system and their recovery from crime

Abstract

This article examines secondary victimization and how the criminal justice system affects victims’ psychological recovery from the crime. Victim recovery was measured using the Modified Post-traumatic Stress Symptom Scale (MPSSS). This study is prospective, following victims as their cases passed through the criminal justice system. How authorities treated victims was measured in terms of victims’ procedural justice judgements. Using a general linear model with repeated measures, unfair procedures were found to impact victims’ recovery. The article closes with a discussion of the findings and their implications.