Compensating Victims - The Need for Legislative Intervention

Abstract

Victims are a forgotten party in the Criminal Justice system. While the accused is protected with all the resources available at the expenditure of the State, the victim is left to fend for himself with little or no support from the State machinery. India, at the present times, is faced with a situation where respect for criminal law has reduced to the minimum, one crucial reason being the hapless condition of its victims. The article seeks to revisit the situation prevalent in the subcontinent, highlighting the attempts of the judiciary to fill the gaps and the need to bring statutory changes to prevent the imbalance created.

Keywords: Victim, Compensation, Criminal Justice