If a person is accused of a crime, the Bill of Rights and other amendments to the Constitution give us certain basic rights that guard against unwarranted prosecution by government authorities. But, in seeking to protect the accused, many people justifiably feel that we have strayed too far from the ideal of seeking justice for the victims of crime. We must get back to thinking of the victims of crime. Victims need concrete constitutional rights that are at least as comprehensive as the rights of the accused. Under our Constitution the accused or convicted offenders have 15 specific rights.
Victims have none.
I have urged the President to support a constitutional amendment that would strengthen the rights of crime victims and their families. That's why I am a co-sponsor of the Victims' Rights Amendment to our U.S. Constitution. It says that any victim of a violent crime would have the right to attend every stage of the trial process, including arraignment, preliminary hearing, trial, sentencing, appeal and parole hearings. Reasonable measures would be taken so the accused or convicted offenders could not intimidate or harm the victim in any way. In the case of a prisoner escape or release, the victim would be guaranteed the right of notification.