This study is a review of international literature on the ways information and views from victims are taken into account in different criminal justice processes. Very few jurisdictions provide victim participation schemes at the prosecution and bail stages even though these stages are as important to many victims as the sentencing stage. The victim participation that does exist at these stages is therefore poorly organised and uncertain in impact. Whether victim participation in the criminal justice process is on balance 'good' or 'bad', and 'successful' or 'unsuccessful', depends on the objectives of the particular form of participation under consideration. On many important aspects of participation there is no reliable evidence from research.
Participation affects different victims in very different ways.
It is not possible, therefore, to secure complete success with any one scheme. However, around half of all victims appear to gain some satisfaction from participation, although this varies from scheme to scheme. On balance, all participation has less effect, in any way, than either advocates or critics anticipate. In particular, sentencing patterns appear to be largely unaffected by participation. Direct participation in the criminal justice process, as distinct from statement schemes, appears to have the greatest beneficial effects, and fewest detrimental effects.