Prison Fellowship

  • DONATE
    • One-Time
    • Monthly
    • Angel Tree
    • Other Ways to Give
  • GET INVOLVED
    • All Options
    • Subscribe
    • Angel Tree Christmas
    • Start a Fundraiser
    • Pray With Us
    • Justice Action Center
    • Share on Social
Search
  • STORIES
    • Stories
    • Blog
    • Videos
    • The Restoration Series [Videos]
  • WHAT WE DO
    • Why Help Prisoners?
    • What We Do
    • In-Prison
      • Prison Fellowship Academy
      • In-Prison Programs
      • Hope Events
      • Inside Journal
      • Women’s Ministry
      • Create: New Beginnings
    • Angel Tree
      • Register your church or group for Angel Tree
      • Prison Fellowship Angel Tree
      • Angel Tree Christmas
      • Angel Tree Camping
      • Angel Tree Sports Camp
    • Justice Reform
      • Justice Reform
      • Second Chance Month
      • News & Updates
      • Sign the Justice Declaration
      • Get a Copy of Outrageous Justice
    • Warden Exchange
    • Church Partners
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Preparing Prisoners for Reentry
    • Research and Evaluation
      • Good Citizenship Model®
  • RESOURCES
    • Subscribe to Our Email
    • Support for Friends and Family of Prisoners
      • Resources for Friends and Family of Prisoners
      • Coping with Incarceration
      • Resources for Prisoners
      • Resources for Children of Prisoners
      • Supporting Successful Prisoner Reentry
      • Subscribe To The Hope Connection
    • Resources for Churches and Volunteers
      • Resources for Churches and Volunteers
      • In-Prison Ministry
      • Reentry Ministry
      • Family Ministry
      • Justice Reform
      • Mentoring Ministry
    • Angel Tree Coordinator Training
    • Resources for Chaplains
    • Resources for D.O.C.
    • Justice Reform Resources
    • Create: New Beginnings Book
    • Share on Social
  • ABOUT US
    • Our Beliefs
    • Mission & Vision
    • Financials
      • Financials
      • 2024 Annual Report
    • Employment
    • Contact Us
    • In The News
    • Leadership
    • Chuck Colson
      • About Chuck Colson
      • The Charles Colson Hope Awards

Remembering the Rights of Victims

April 16, 2015 by Elisabeth Boehm

Every person who breaks the law is different. Every person who is convicted of a crime is different. Every crime and the situation surrounding it is different. And every person who is harmed by a criminal act is also different.

We understand that all of these variables make it impossible to accurately quantify the harm crime causes. This is what makes justice tough.

But that should never be an excuse to carry it out poorly. That should not give our criminal justice system a pass in failing to serve the victims of crime first. Our laws should apply to everyone impartially, and our justice system should treat everyone with equal dignity—because each man, woman, and child has inherent worth and value, being made in the image of God.

The theme of this year’s National Crime Victim’s Rights Week (NCVRW), which will be observed April 19-25, is “Engaging Communities, Empowering Victims,” and it’s a chance for us all to learn how we can support those directly harmed by crime.

Justice Fellowship, the policy arm of Prison Fellowship, will be highlighting the six principles in our restorative justice framework that pertain to harmed parties. Justice Fellowship has identified these principles as ones that our criminal justice system should provide to victims: active participation in the criminal justice process; protection from further harm; information about proceedings, status, and the rights they have; some form or forms of restitution; validation that what they have experienced is an injustice and is not their fault; and assistance and support for additional needs incurred as a result of the crime committed against them.

It is time to get informed. It’s time for our communities to stand up and support those harmed by crime. It’s time for our criminal justice system to give harmed parties right standing throughout the criminal justice process and to properly enforce victims’ rights.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Empowerment, Justice Felllowship, National Crime Victim's Rights Week, Victims

SELECT A TOPIC

  • Advocacy & Reentry
  • Angel Tree
  • Families of Prisoners
  • Feature Stories
  • From the CEO
  • Hope Events
  • Inside Journal
  • Press Releases
  • Prison & Prisoners
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Prison Fellowship International
  • Prison Fellowship News & Updates
  • Reentry
  • Second Chance Month
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • Warden Exchange

MOST POPULAR

The California Prison Where Hope is Alive and Well

April 9, 2025

My Story: Tynecia

April 9, 2025

The Pastor Who Got a Second Chance

April 2, 2025

LATEST VIDEOS

WATCH ALL VIDEOS

Join our online community

Facebook Facebook X (Twitter) X (Twitter) Instagram Instagram YouTube YouTube LinkedIn LinkedIn
PF®
PFM®

RECOMMENDED LINKS

  • Ways to Donate
  • Inspirational Stories
  • Angel Tree
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Justice Reform

RESOURCES

  • For Families & Friends of Prisoners
  • For Churches & Angel Tree Volunteers
  • Warden Exchange

JOIN RESTORATION PARTNERS AND WITNESS GOD RESTORE LIVES

Restoration Partners give monthly to bring life-changing prison ministry programs to incarcerated men and women across the country.

 

JOIN NOW
  • CONTACT US
  • EMPLOYMENT
  • PRIVACY
  • FINANCIALS
© 2025 PRISON FELLOWSHIP®

Angel Tree®, Angel Tree Camping®, Angel Tree Sports CampTM, and Warden Exchange® are programs of Prison Fellowship®.