Survivor Voices: Shifting the Conversation on Crime Victims' Rights & Criminal Justice Reform

Survivor Voices: Shifting the Conversation on Crime Victims' Rights & Criminal Justice Reform

On October 21, 2022, The Rights in Systems Enforced (RISE) Clinic hosted a retreat at Loyola Law School for survivor leaders from diverse backgrounds to utilize their experiences to identify and propose improvements to the criminal justice system that focus on integrating the voice of survivors and strengthening the rights of victims. 

In attendance to the day-long retreat were 22 survivors who participated in sessions on charging decisions, cash bail, and resources. During the sessions, survivors had the opportunity to hear from one another about the challenges experienced in the aftermath of the crime and discuss the "holes" or disparities that exist within the criminal justice system and the allocation of funding and resources to crime survivors. Based on these discussions, survivors presented their recommendations to an audience of invited guests, including service providers and representatives within the criminal justice system. Ultimately, the sentiment heard from everyone in attendance, including allied professionals in the audience, was that the voice of survivors need to be at the center of change to promote healing and recovery from the crime. 

“Hearing directly from survivors one on one about their personal needs, barriers & their frustrations even with service providers is an important reminder to include survivors when designing & implementing support programs”  - Allied Professional

Full Read: Retreat Overview and Recommendations