Violence and Victimization

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The impact of crime and violence on communities and on victims is an important concern of criminal justice systems and related state legislative policies.  Often, policies are influenced by rates of crime and the public’s perception of the threat of serious and violent crimes. State legislatures benefit from accurate, current and comparative information on crime and responses to crime.

Policies to monitor and restrict known sex offenders have been high on state legislative agendas in recent years. More recently, states also are addressing human trafficking and child sex trafficking among emerging victimization issues.

Laws concerning victim rights and services have long been a priority of state legislators and their constituents. Policies to compensate, confer with and protect victims continue to evolve and improve in states.

The documents in this collection include articles that discuss crime and violence rates, trends and responses, provide information on state laws on crimes and victimization and provide information on victim rights and services policies.

Here are some key issues and documents:

• Death Penalty
• Sex Offender State Legislation
• Violence and Gun Violence
• Gangs
• Human Trafficking
• Victims’ Rights and Services