Column 7 Protection of Crime Victims

In response to the increase of public interest in the situation of crime victims, various measures for crime victims have been introduced.

Since 1999, prosecutors and their assistant officers notify crime victims of the disposition of the case, trial date and judgment of the court.

Two Acts in 2000 on the protection of crime victims introduced the system of statements of opinion in court by crime victims and inspection/copying of trial records by crime victims.

The Basic Act on Crime Victims (Act No. 161 of 2004) was enacted in 2004 to comprehensively and systematically promote measures for crime victims. Based on the Act, the Basic Plans for Crime Victims, etc. 2005, 2011 and 2016 were drawn up and introduced the following measures:

• (i)Participation of crime victims in criminal procedure since 2008;
• (ii)Restitution orders since 2008;
• (iii)Expansion of the benefit system for crime victims in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014 and 2018;
• (iv)Decision to conceal the identities of crime victims since 2007;
• (v)Crime victims’ observation of the proceedings of juvenile cases since 2008;
• (vi)Expansion of the inspection/copying of trial records by crime victims since 2007; and
• (vii)Payment of travel expenses for participating crime victims since 2013.