Public Safety Signals

Public Safety and the role of the Victim

2007 Jun 16 Posted by Joseph Pascarella

The initial entry on this blog, “The Daunting Task of Public Safety” posted on May 13, 2007; we discussed the tragic event at Virginia Tech University and the evolutionary changes in Public Safety. One of the changes in the Public Safety and how Public Safety functions are dependent on external societal expectations in the administration of justice.

The Associate Press reported yesterday that the panel led by W. Gerald Massengil investigating the incident would be allowed to review limited health information and that family members of the victims of the massacre are attempting to obtain position (s) on the panel.

There are two issues, one involving release of health information and the other is the complex role of the victim (in this case, family members of the victims) in the justice process. The criminal justice system has evolved into complex, formal, and centralized government function that attempts to administer justice based on facts of the case, and not emotion. Aside from a Victim Impact Statement (VIS) that a judge can review prior to sentencing, the individual role of the victim beyond witness testimony is very limited. Emotional, heart wrenching incidents such as the Virginia Tech massacre sometimes compel us to reflect on what, if any, should be the role in administering justice.

This is exacerbated considering the contemporary threats to the United States and the role of the victim and victim’s family after a large scale disaster or terror attack. What should be the role of the victim in the process and what is the responsibility of the government in the long term?

Joseph Pascarella

June 16, 2007 | Filed under: Capella, Capella University, Law enforcement, Public Safety Signals, Public safety, Virginia Tech, education, online college, online degrees, online university, terrorism
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