Page 32 - KDU INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE

KDU International Journal of Criminal Justice (KDUIJCJ)
Volume I | Issue II| July 2024

the Act. He reiterated the importance of the Government and responsible
authorities introducing a mechanism to implement the provisions of the

Act. This is yet to be done.

The Media reported in early 2021 that the Ministry of Justice is planning

to bring amendments to the Act which saw the light of day in 2015. Such

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ad-hoc amendments are futile. The impact of this important piece of
legislation has to be assessed by considering the views of different

stakeholders. Victims’ voices are powerful. Their own anger and grief are

meaningful outlets that hold out the promise of change. Their heart-
rending stories pinpoint the areas that need to be focused on and worked

upon, and these distressing narratives point a finger at what is clogging
the speedy dispensation of justice.

In the United States, there have been attempts to bring about victim-
centred law reforms aimed at improving victims’ participation in a

criminal process that was not designed to accommodate them earlier.
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The Ministry of Justice of Sri Lanka, instead of merely tinkering with our
seven-year-old act, should introduce time limits, a tracking system and

other in-built mechanisms in line with digital technologies with the aim
of strengthening victimology with the assistance of a vibrant activist

movement which would in turn would invigorate a 21 century criminal
st

18 The Media can play a powerful role in the protection of victims and witnesses. See:
Pamela Davies, ‘ Partnerships and Activism: Community Safety, Multi Agency Partnerships
and Safeguarding Victims in Tapley and Davies(eds) ‘ Victimology Research, Policy and
Activism’ (Palgrave Macmillan 2020)
19 See – Attorney General’s guidelines for Victims and Witnesses Assistance directed by
Congress in 1982.
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