Corrections and Victims' Rights

Go to the Federal Bureau of Prisons' (BOP) Website, and review the "Resources For Victims & Witnesses," located at http://www.bop.gov/resources/victim_resources.jsp. Next, go to the American Correctional Association Website, and review the ACA Code of Ethics, located at http://www.counseling.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf. Lastly, go to Cornell University Law Schools' Website, and review "18 U.S. Code Crime § 3771 - Crime victims' rights," located at http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/3771.

Write a four to six (4-6) page paper in which you:

1) Examine the significant manner in which the Crime Victims' Rights Act protects the rights of crime victims. Provide your opinion of the effectiveness of this piece of legislation. Justify your response.

2) Determine whether or not victim impact statements add value during sentencing and parole hearings. Provide a rationale for your response.

3) Debate which is more important to a victim: the right to be notified of proceeding or the right to participate in a proceeding. Provide a rationale for your response.

4) Review the following three (3) statements, and determine the key ethical responsibilities of corrections personnel associated with them.

a. "Our job is not to punish."
b. "Legal liability issues."
c. "The rules don't apply."

5) Recommend two (2) strategies for ensuring that correctional employees (e.g., correctional staff, administrators, parole officers, probation officers, etc.) adhere to the ACA Code of Ethics.

6) Debate the importance of victims having a voice in the legal process.

7) Use at least three (3) quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.