Criminal justice reform is quickly becoming a leading conservative issue across the country. Advocates for public safety, fiscal responsibility, and cost-efficiency are joining forces to improve the state and federal systems. This has done a great deal to strengthen victims‘ voices in the criminal justice process.

Conservative solutions in criminal justice reform make victims’ rights the priority issue. Instead of throwing good money after bad, without regard for effectiveness, Right on Crime advocates for cost efficient methods that focus on lowering recidivism rates and prioritizing finite resources on high risk offenders. Currently, many states struggle with high recidivism rates, with far too many offenders coming back to the system within three years of release, leaving new victims in their wake. A system that cycles people through time after time without effecting change is not working, and victims are forced to experience the results. Evidence-based policies that focus on lowering recidivism rates mean that there are fewer victims.

Additionally, attempts to increase restorative justice programming directly involve victims in the criminal justice process. People are the victims of crimes, not the government. However, as time has gone on, victims have been sidelined in the criminal justice process. Restorative justice allows them an active voice, and has resulted in higher rates of satisfaction among victims.

Read more about victims’ rights in the conservative criminal justice movement here.