In the last three decades New York has made great strides in establishing fair treatment standards and providing rights for victims/survivors of crime. Today, the doors of the court rooms are open to the presentation of Victim Impact Statements.  The voices of those who lost a loved one are heard at sentencing and at parole hearings.  And, the safety concerns of victims/survivors are now acknowledged with inmate release notification.These accomplishments are due in large part to the efforts and determination of the victims themselves, who mobilized to demand that their needs and concerns be addressed by the criminal justice system. Yet, many of their needs have been unmet by the system, and the problem of violent crime continues to create more victims. 

New Yorkers for Alternatives to the Death Penalty believe that victims and survivors, those who have been touched so deeply on a personal level by violent crime, must be an integral part of the devising of innovative, constructive, and effective ways to reduce such crime. Whether the issue is sentencing, restitution, reentry, parole,  or services provided, victims/ survivors of crime have specific needs and essential contributions.  For example, the release of a person who is incarcerated and the success of reentry policies has direct implications for them, for their psychological and physical well-being. Reentry partnerships between victims/survivors and victim advocates and other non-traditional partners serve to enhance rather than undermine the effectiveness of reentry policies.

By incorporating a victim/survivor perspective when thinking about reentry and other issues, we can strengthen policies that seek to reduce recidivism,increase public safety, enhance healing rather than promote vengeance and which shift the focus of the criminal justice system. This system should not be solely "offender-focused," but see that victims, too, require trauma treatment and support.