USA Has Mixed Record on Victims’ Rights
The United States has not incorporated into its domestic criminal justice systems many of the recommended standards for the treatment of crime victims set out under international law, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. While US jurisdictions, both federal and state, have made significant progress in recent decades, much more can be done to ensure that victims’ rights and their legitimate interests are respected.

In the report, Mixed Results: US Policy and International Standards on the Rights and Interests of Victims of Crime, Human Rights Watch analyzed how well the United States is meeting international best practices. Human Rights Watch found that police and prosecutors in some states enjoy very broad discretion over who is to be granted victim status and the extent to which victims are included in the justice process. In some cases, victims who disagree with the punishment being sought in the case – such as the death penalty – have been barred from testifying. Certain categories of victims, such as police officers and prisoners, have also been denied victim status or services.
Link to HRW