RESTORATION AND LEGAL CARE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIMES UNDER THE NIGERIAN CRIMINAL JURISPRUDENCE

Abstract

It is trite law that the ultimate goal of the administration of criminal system is to do justice and provide fairness to the offenders, victims and the larger society even though crime is deemed to be an offence against the society. This presumption brought one of the greatest loopholes in our criminal justice system in Nigeria. The United Nation Declaration recognises four major ingredients of the rights of victims of crimes ie. access to justice and fairness, restitution, compensation and assistance. Thus, how far is our laws and those saddled with responsibility of administration of criminal justice in Nigeria conform to the norm of intentional standard set out y the U.N Declaration in order to help the victims to manage the material aspect of their psychological trauma and to show that society has not abandoned them. To this end, this paper,while adopting analytical research methodology, examines the administration of criminal justice system in Nigeria whether the existing laws on compensation and restitution orders are satisfactory or adequate in our present day society. Is there any legal care in existence that nsure enforcement of victims right when a court of competent jurisdiction ordered that the victims should be compensated for injuries or damages as a result of commission of crimes by he offender. The paper revealed that some victims were neglected in some instances owing to he fact that the offence is committed against the state and suggests way forward in order to nsure that right of victims of crimes are preserves and enforced in Nigeria.