Thank you.
You talked about training lawyers in law faculties, which is a good idea. We can see that there is a problem when it comes to information. Victims are not necessarily being informed, for all sorts of reasons.
Would it not be a good idea to have some provisions in the Criminal Code for victims to be treated more like parties to the trial, for them to participate in it in some way, and for them to validate the processes, particularly when it comes to plea bargaining?
Victims often think that plea bargaining harms their rights. They see it almost as a denial of justice. Personally, I don't agree with that. In my opinion, it is actually important for lawyers to engage in negotiations on the various sentences that can be imposed. It can help victims. Unfortunately, however, victims are not always adequately informed.
Given all that, might it not also be wise to provide for judges themselves to be better informed about victims' rights?
Might it not be wise to provide for victims to participate at each step in a criminal trial?