My heart was heavy as I read Petula Dvorak’s Feb. 6 Metro column, “Crime victims feel cut off from offender reform talks.” I was appalled that crime victims sharing their lived experience were rushed, talked over and addressed with very little empathy. Unfortunately, in my line of work, I have seen this before.
It’s incredibly important that survivors’ voices are heard, valued and considered. This is especially true when discussing criminal justice reform. People with lived experience add depth and authenticity to these policy conversations. Survivors can see with clarity that a justice system needs to be more responsive to victims. Often, policymakers and criminal justice practitioners are afraid of what they think they might hear — that victims will take a very hard line and insist on long sentences and harsh punishments. Some might feel that way. And others might want to focus on rehabilitation and different safety investments. The goal of engaging survivors of crime in conversations about criminal justice reform is not to find consensus; the goal is to learn from their experiences, acknowledge their trauma, honor their courage in coming forward and avoid causing them further harm.
As a society, we all have a role to play to increase access, options and information for crime victims and survivors. We can do this best by listening to what they have to say.
Kristina Rose, Washington
The writer is director of the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime.
