Victims' rights policyAll components of criminal justice have the same goal in mind: preventing and fighting crime. Preventing and combating crime also includes the provision of services to victims of crime. Although the primary goal of the criminal justice system is to apprehend, prosecute, and rehabilitate the criminal, many forget to focus on the victim. The National Victim Assistance Organization was founded in 1975 and is the oldest national group providing assistance to victims of crime and crises. Law enforcement must ensure the safety of the victim before, during and after a conviction. Many times crime victims are forgotten or left out of the notification process when the criminal has been arrested, prosecuted, convicted or released from the system. By examining the history and effectiveness of victims' rights legislation and programs, the goals of victims' rights will become clearer. History of Victims' Rights The concept of victims' rights is a relatively new idea. Linda RS v Richard D (1972) was the case that opened the door to victims' rights. The Supreme Court ruled in Linda V. Richard that “a private citizen has no legally cognizable interest in prosecuting or not prosecuting another” (Lewis, 2010, para. 5). From that case, the idea of ​​victims' rights would explode and the next 10 years would be one of immense expansion for victims. Before the national government recognizes victims' need for legal rights, small organizations would begin to make small changes in their respective areas. . In 1972, Summit County, Ohio created the Victim Assistance Program. Seeing that the county offered 35 free services for offenders and nothing for victims, the local infuriated... middle of paper... tim Law Institute. Retrieved November 6, 2010, from www.lclark.edu/law/centers/national_crime_victim_law_institute/about_ncli/history_of_victims_rights/National Organization for Victim Assistance. Crime victims and witnesses' rights. Retrieved November 7, 2010, from www.trynova.org/Victims/cwrights.html.Prison Fellowship International Center for Justice and Reconciliation (n.d.) Restorative Justice Online: Victims' and Victims' Advocates' Definitions of Restorative Justice, Retrieved November 5 2010, from http://www.restorativejustice.org/victim-support/definitions-of-restorative-justice-by-victims-and-their-advocatesVALOR. (2005). History of VALOR. Retrieved November 6, 2010, from www.valor_national.org/hisotory.html.Victims Assistance Program. (2010). Who we are. Retrieved November 6, 2010, from www.victimassistanceprogram.org/about_history.html.