The police play an indispensable role in alleviating crimes and guaranteeing justice to the crime victims. According to Spalek (2016), the police represent an integral component of the criminal justice system, responding to criminal reports or cases. Law enforcement observes the agency’s core values and philosophy, and thus, any improvement to the police service must be consistent with them. Therefore, police can use approaches, including expanding partnerships with the communities, committing sufficient resources to police, and increasing toll-free means of reporting crimes, to address crime victims’ interests.
Firstly, crime victims experience various challenges ranging from psychological to financial. In this regard, the police should facilitate counseling sessions for victims requiring mental care before proceeding with the court process. Such therapy would help them to have emotional stability, thus recovering from crime tribulations. Besides, law enforcement should create a department that educates victims explicitly on the court process and all practical necessities until the case is concluded.
Most crime victims have failed to get justice due to inadequate knowledge about the court process. Holder (2018) argues that the best way to guarantee justice is by promoting a fair trial. Sadly, a lack of enough experience in the justice system denies many victims their justice. The police need to allocate resources to victims’ enlightenment and community partnerships to ensure everyone is aware of the right actions to reduce crimes and pursue justice. Finally, the law enforcement agency requires increasing toll-free reporting modes because victims often receive safety threats, which they fail to report due to ineffective communication between them and the police.
The best way to improve police service to crime victims is by safeguarding their rights and safety. It is irrational to expect a person who does not understand the court process to get justice unless he or she is guided. There should be strengthening of community policing to facilitate easy crime reporting and quick response by the police. Importantly, police need to dedicate resources to address the emotional setbacks experienced by the crime victims. Such victim-oriented approaches would help build confidence in law enforcement, thus improving court processes’ coordination toward guaranteeing justice.
References
Holder, R. (2018). Just interests: Victims, citizens and the potential for justice. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Spalek, B. (2016). Crime victims: Theory, policy and practice (2nd ed.). Macmillan International Higher Education.